HLN is coming off of a number of record-breaking months in terms of viewership, bolstered by coverage of the Jodi Arias trial, which culminated with last week’s guilty verdict. In a memo to staff this afternoon obtained by TVNewser, HLN executive VP Scot Safon  congratulated the team on their work, and previewed what HLN has coming down the pipeline.

Among the changes: “HLN After Dark” will become a full-time member of HLN’s nightly lineup, where it will focus “on stories (trials and otherwise) in the ‘court of public opinion,’” according to Safon’s note.  The channel is also gearing up for its next big trial, that of George Zimmerman, which begins June 10th, and the Daytime Emmy Awards on June 16th. There are also Nancy Grace, Dr. Drew Pinsky and Jane Velez-Mitchell specials in the works.

Read Safon’s full note to HLN staff, below.
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The Jodi Arias trial propelled HLN to some huge growth in Q1 2013 and March. How many viewers stick around once it ends remains to be seen, but for now, the network is seeing triple-digit growth.

The ratings for Q1, 2013 (Nielsen Live + Same Day data):

• Primetime (Mon-Sun): 435,000 Total Viewers / 155,000 A25-54
• Total Day (Mon-Sun): 308,000 Total Viewers / 118,000 A25-54

Compared to Q1 2012, HLN is up +17% in Total Day and +12% in primetime in total viewers. The network is up +23% and +32% in the A25-54 demo in total day and prime, respectively (Note: percentages are based on a blend of Nielsen Live + 7 and Live + 3 data).

The biggest gains are in the afternoon hours, where HLN is up over +100% in total and demo viewers from 3-6PM ET. 4PM’s “Making It In America,” for example, is up +136% in total viewers and +128% in the demo compared to Q1 2012.

While 8PM’s “Nancy Grace” is still the channel’s most popular show, she actually saw less growth than the other primetime hours, up +5% in total viewers and up +18% in the demo. At 7 PM Jane Velez-Mitchell was up +39% in total viewers and +50% in the demo, while at 9 PM “Dr Drew,” “What Would You Do?” and “Mysteries” combined to be up +33% and +61% in total day and prime respectively. At 10 PM “Nancy Grace, ” “What Would You Do,” “Mysteries” and “HLN After Dark” combined to be up +33% and +49% in total day and prime.

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To say it’s been a rough year for the “Today” show, would be an understatement.

The once-dominant morning program is settling in to second place, as new top producers, on-air talent and show segments meld in the hopes of catching on with viewers and regaining the top spot. Meanwhile, star anchor Matt Lauer continues to find himself in the unenviable position of taking the licks — and the responsibility — for the show’s woes.

But last night, Lauer didn’t want to dwell on the downside. Instead it was a night to celebrate with his co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, and hundreds of other media luminaries, at the 18th annual National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association Headlines and Headliners benefit. “Today” national correspondent and news anchor Natlie Morales was the host for the evening which raised more than $75,000 for scholarships and program activities.

Morales delivered a few zingers during her speech, including giving a new name to HLN — “the hysterical ladies network.”

HLN anchor Jane Velez-Mitchell, who hosted this event last year, missed the joke as she was still taping her show. But she took it in stride when we told it to her later. They may be hysterical, but HLN ratings of late, thanks to coverage of the Jodi Arias trial, are nothing to laugh at.

We chatted with ABC’s Amy Robach, whose star has risen at “Good Morning America” since leaving NBC News last year. Robach and husband Andrew Shue are leaving today for a Caribbean vacation. Gayle King represented for “CBS This Morning,” while CNN’s Christine Romans, John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin chatted with guests. We caught up with MSNBC’s Alex Witt, FNC’s Rick Reichmuth and CNBC’s Mandy Drury, who’s heading home to Australia next week to catch up with family. On the local news scene, WABC’s Lori Stokes and WNBC’s Contessa Brewer worked the room. And we couldn’t pass up the chance to talk with The Weather Channel’s Bryan Norcross, the father of the named Winter storms. “Everything needs a hashtag now,” says the longtime meteorologist. “What better way than to name the storms?” Of course, an unending Winter helps. Did you hear Winter Storm Virgil is on the way this weekend?

(l-r) “Today” show publicist Megan Kopf Stackhouse, Andrew Shue, CNN’s Javier Morgado, NBC’s Natalie Morales, ABC’s Amy Robach

More photos after the jump…

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The obsession with the Jodi Arias trial continues. This week, HLN will premiere “After Dark: The Jodi Arias Trial,” a nightly show with a live studio audience. The program premieres Wednesday and will run Monday-Thursday for the duration of the trial.

The program launch comes on the heels of Turner Broadcasting’s TruTV scaling In Session coverage back to two hours a day, a move which has sparked criticism in the middle of the Arias trial. HLN anchor Vinnie Politan will anchor the show and In Session on TruTV correspondents Jean Casarez and Beth Karas will contribute.

Politan will be joined by HLN’s Nancy Grace, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Ryan Smith and Drew Pinsky, who will weigh the accusations and evidence of the day. The 12-person audience will act as “jurors” and will render a verdict each night.

While there has been no shortage of newsworthy stories to cover in recent weeks, there is one that is singlehandedly boosting an entire TV network. HLN, which goes all-out to cover prominent court cases (particularly when the accused is an attractive female), has been dedicating most of its daily coverage to the Jodi Arias trial.

The coverage is paying off in the ratings, particularly in the afternoon and early evening.

While the primetime shows, led by Jane Velez-Mitchell and Nancy Grace, are doing very well covering the trial, the biggest surprise may be 4 PM’s “Making It In America,” which has been routinely topping its primetime counterparts in total viewers, and coming close to beating them in the demo. Vinnie Politan is the anchor of “making It.”

Over the last week, “Making It In America” has averaged 732,800 viewers, including 188,000 in the key adults 25-54 demo.  The show  topped CNN and MSNBC’s 4 PM shows in total viewers and the demo, and even topped FNC in the demo a couple of times in the last week.

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It was a mixed bag for HLN during the month of February. The network was flat in Total Day compared to the same month last year. In primetime, HLN declined among Total Viewers but improved among younger viewers.

The ratings for February, 2013 (Nielsen Live + Same Day data):

• Primetime (Mon-Sun): 389,000 Total Viewers / 140,000 A25-54
• Total Day (Mon-Sun): 281,000 Total Viewers / 106,000 A25-54

Compared to the same month last year, HLN was down -1% in Total Viewers and flat in the A25-54 demographic in Total Day. (Note: percentages are based on a blend of Live +7 and Live +3 data.) In primetime, HLN was down -8% in Total Viewers and up +3% in the demo. It should be noted that HLN had strong ratings for coverage of Whitney Houston‘s death in February 2012.

HLN’s late afternoon hours showed significant year-over-year growth: “Making it in America” at 4pmET was up +111% in Total Viewers and +115% in the A25-54 demographic, while “Evening Express” was up +88% and +123% at 5pmET and +55% and +78% at 6pmET, respectively.

The network had ups and downs in primetime: Jane Velez-Mitchell‘s 7pmET program was up +12% in Total Viewers and +25% among younger viewers, while Nancy Grace‘s 8pmET program was down across the board, -16% in Total Viewers and -14% in the A25-54 demographic. The 9pmET hour, which is home to Dr. Drew Pinsky‘s show and ABC’s “What Would You Do?,” is down -7% in Total Viewers but up +15% in the demographic.

HLN was up the most of the four cable news networks compared to last month: the network grew +26% in Total Viewers and +15% in the demographic in Total Day, and +24% and +18%, respectively, in primetime.

• HLN is going all-out to cover the Jodi Arias trial in Arizona. “Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell” and “Nancy Grace” will both be dedicating their programming this week to the case, with Grace in Maricopa County, Arizona all week long.

• Fox Business Network’s Charlie Gasparino is profiled by Cigar Aficionado. Not surprisingly a good deal of talk is about cigars, but there is actually a media angle  to it. Sources love a good cigar after all…

• “60 Minutes” takes itself to task, and examines how the show helped prop up the myth of Lance Armstrong, before helping to dismantle it years later. ”We absolutely helped create the myth,” CBS News chairman Jeff Fager said. Watch after the jump.

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Former CNN and HLN executive producer Conway Cliff has been named vice president of program development at TheBlaze, Glenn Beck‘s network.

In his new role, Cliff will work with TheBlaze’s president and chief content officer, Joel Cheatwood, on new programming and business development. He was most recently a consultant for Wilkow, a recently launched show on TheBlaze hosted by conservative satellite radio personality Andrew Wilkow.

Before joining TheBlaze, Conway oversaw development of “The Joy Behar Show” and “Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell” on HLN. He has also worked as an executive producer at CNN and as a producer at CNBC.

HLN was down significantly compared to 2011, when coverage of the Casey Anthony trial boosted the network’s ratings. In Total Day, HLN was down -27% in Total Viewers and -20% in the A25-54 demographic. In primetime, the network was down -32% in Total Viewers and -22% in the demo.

The ratings for 2012:

• Primetime (Mon-Sun): 337,000 Total Viewers / 114,000 A25-54
• Total Day (Mon-Sun): 243,000 Total Viewers / 95,000 A25-54

Nancy Grace‘s 8pmET program was down -43% in Total Viewers and -35% in A25-54 viewers for the year. Jane Velez-Mitchell‘s 7pmET program was down -31% and -26% and Dr. Drew Pinsky‘s 9pmET program was down -46% and -38%, respectively.

HLN’s quarterly ratings also saw declines: In Total Day, the network was down -16% in Total Viewers and -3% in the demographic compared to the same quarter last year. In primetime, HLN was down -25% and -4%, respectively.

There was some good news for HLN in the month of December — despite year-over-year declines in Total Viewers, HLN was up +7% in Total Day and +2% in primetime in the A25-54 demographic.

CNN will be keeping its usual primetime lineup on tonight to cover Sandy, and will be live until the worst of the storm passes, whenever that may be. Anchors Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett will be reporting in the field tonight across primetime. CNN International will be simulcasting CNN/U.S. from 11AM-2PM and again starting at 4 PM.

The list of correspondents in the field for CNN is after the jump.

Update: HLN is blowing up its primetime lineup to provide hurricane coverage. Those details are also after the jump.
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