CNN reached a new record high with its 2024 New Year’s Eve special as hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen brought booze back to the live celebration. The Sunday night telecast averaged 2.33 million total viewers during primetime across platforms through two days of viewing, 802,000 of which were among the adults 25-54 demographic. That’s a 12% jump from the previous year, making it the second largest audience on record since it began airing in 2007. The 2020 special currently holds the record with 2.6 million total viewers.
Viewership peaked during the 11 pm-12:30 am block, hitting 3.4 million viewers as those at home waited to ring in the new year. 1.24 million viewers within that group were also among the key adults 25-54 cable demo.
When looking digital viewing, that audience number grew to a combined average audience of 3.44 million total viewers across platforms, adding a 0.8% lift to the CNN TV average audience for New Year’s Eve. On Max, CNN saw its highest performing day on the app since the new 24/7 live stream beta became available to Max subscribers.
For comparison, Fox News Channel’s airing of “A New Year with Tyrus” reached nearly 1 million viewers during its 11 pm-12 am airing window, according to final ratings from Nielsen, while “Who Can Forget 2023?,” which aired during the 10-11 pm hour-block, recorded 757,000 total viewers.
After the 12:30 pm block, CNN’s late night live airing of “New Year’s Eve with Sara Sidner and Cari Champion” from Austin managed another No. 1 in cable with 1.082 million total viewers, 422,000 of which were among the key adults 25-54 demo.
