Actually, Anderson, it looks like no apologies were necessary. At least, not to the bosses. CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live” with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin will likely get Griffin yet another invitation to return, having delivered strong ratings–including 1.2 million viewers in the demo between midnight and 12:30 a.m. ET.
Overall, from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., CNN’s coverage from Times Square, New Orleans, Havana and a cruise ship in the Bahamas beat Fox News Channel’s “All-American New Year”, with 1.597 million total viewers and 729,000 viewers 25-54. Fox was second with 1.170 million total viewers and 209,000 viewers 25-54.
And 2015’s off to a good start for CNN, winning both the last week of 2014 and the first week of 2015 in both total day and primetime (M-Su) among viewers 25-54. It’s the first time CNN has won both dayparts for two straight weeks in more than 13 years (last time was November 26, 2001).
UPDATE: It should be noted that ratings for the first week of 2015 are not yet final–and Fox News has been impacted by the ongoing dispute with Dish Network, with the blackout cutting into viewership.