The original cable news network has slipped to fourth and last place with prime-time viewers between ages 25 and 54, trailing Fox News, MSNBC and HLN. The conventional wisdom is that Americans prefer their news with a heavy dose of opinion, but CNN could be losing viewers because, as the “Daily Show” points out, the network is just bad at gathering news.

While we’re talking in broad strokes about what Americans like and don’t like, let’s take a minute to point out that the cable news networks measure their viewers in the hundreds of thousands. In a country of 300 million, it’s probably ill-advised to draw conclusions about the national character based on Sean Hannity’s 659,000 viewers. — PZS

The New York Times:

CNN, which invented the cable news network more than two decades ago, will hit a new competitive low with its prime-time programs in October, finishing fourth – and last – among the cable news networks with the audience that all the networks rely on for their advertising.

The official monthly numbers will be finalized at 4 p.m. Monday and will include results from Friday. CNN executives conceded that will not change the competitive standing for the month. CNN will still be last in prime time.

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