CNN had its best first quarter since the first quarter of 2003, in Total Viewers and the A25-54 demo in total day. CNN grew 17% in Total Viewers and 7% in the demo compared to last year.

CNN was 2nd behind FNC during Q1 '09 in Total Viewers during total day and prime time. Year-to-year, American Morning was up 22% in Total Viewers and 21% in the demo for the quarter, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer was up 44% and 27% at 4pmET and 46% and 31% at 5pmET and Larry King Live was up 20% and 9%.

It was CNN's best March since 2003 in total day as well (Total Viewers and demo).

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For the month of March 2009, CNN grew off its successful March 2008 election year audience increasing by a solid +9% in total viewers and +1% among P25-54 in total day – posting its best March total day performance since March 2003 (Iraq War). In March, in total day, CNN averaged 638K total viewers, a 43% advantage over MSNBC’s average of 446K. FNC had 1.216 million total viewers. Additionally, CNN has a +16% lead over MSNBC (195K vs. 168K) among P25-54 in total day. In March primetime (M-Su), CNN topped MSNBC with 985K total viewers, MSNBC followed with 955K and HLN had 623K; FNC posted 2.346 million.

CNN also had its best first quarter in 2009 in both total viewers and in the key demographic P25-54 in total day since first quarter 2003 (Iraq War). In addition, CNN grew its audience during the first quarter, increasing in total day by +17% among total viewers and by +7% in the key demographic (P25-54) compared to Q1 08 which included CNN's strong election coverage and four exclusive CNN candidate debates. CNN placed second behind FNC during the first quarter 2009 in total viewers in total day, primetime (M-Su) and in primetime (M-F), MSNBC placed third and HLN was fourth.

CNN continues to reach more viewers than FNC or MSNBC every month. In March, CNN topped the competition in cumulative total viewer audience with 70 million viewers, while FNC placed second with 62 million, MSNBC had 55 million and HLN posted 54 million.

Q1 2009 CNN Digital Network Highlights:

CNN Digital Network Inauguration coverage was the largest online live video event in Internet history – with a record-breaking 1.3 million live concurrent streams. Throughout the day, CNN.com served 27 million total live video streams, five times the previous high (Source: CNN Internal Server Data, January 20, 2009; L.A. Times Online reported prior record)
The CNN Digital Network remains the #1 News and Information site through the first two months of Q1 2009*, outperforming all other digital news sites including MSNBC Digital Network and Fox News Digital Network. (Source: Nielsen Online Home/Work Panel, February '09)
CNN Digital's homepage remains the #1 gateway to news on the web (Source: Nielsen Online, Feb 2009 Custom)
CNN Digital was the #1 news site for President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress (Source: Nielsen Custom Online Daily for February 24, 2009)
CNN Digital was the #1 online news site on Inauguration Day. (Source: Nielsen Custom Online Daily for February 24, 2009)

Q1 2009 CNN Program Highlights vs Q1 2008:

American Morning (6-9a) up 22% in total viewers and up 21% in P25-54

CNN Newsroom (9a) up 29% in total viewers and up 21% in P25-54

CNN Newsroom (10a) up 24% in total viewers and up 7% in P25-54

CNN Newsroom (11a) up 19% in total viewers and up 7% in P25-54

CNN Newsroom (12n) up 37% in total viewers and up 25% in P25-54

CNN Newsroom (1p) up 34% in total viewers and up 20% in P25-54

CNN Newsroom (2p) up 23% in total viewers and up 10% in P25-54

CNN Newsroom (3p) up 40% in total viewers and up 23% in P25-54

The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (4p) up 44% in total viewers and up 27% in P25-54

The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (5p) up 46% in total viewers and up 31% in P25-54

The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (6p) up 18% in total viewers and up 17% in P25-54

Campbell Brown: No Bias No Bull (8p) up 5% in total viewers

Larry King Live (9p) up 20% in total viewers and up 9% in P25-54

Anderson Cooper 360 (10-12m) up 4% in total viewers

State of the Union (Sun 9a-1p) up 19% in total viewers and up 14% in P25-54

Fareed Zakaria: GPS (Sun 1p) up 28% in total viewers and up 21% in P25-54