Cable’s winners and losers in May

NBCSN averaged 1.1 million total viewers in primetime in May, ranking 12th on cable.

May was simply not a good month for the cable news networks.

All of the Big Three networks, Fox News Channel, CNN and MSNBC, suffered double-digit percentage declines in primetime during the month.

In the key adults 25-54 demo, FNC slid 28 percent, according to Nielsen, to 216,000.

MSNBC was down 12 percent, to 152,000, while CNN dropped 38 percent, to 137,000.

All three also saw their total-day audience in the demo fall by double-digit percentages.

The across-the-board declines could be attributed to a number of things, including a slow month for news and, in CNN’s case, changes in its lineup.

Though it’s too early to say definitively, the slide could also be an indicator of our changing news consumption patterns.

More and more people are getting their news online, and the cable news networks have been pushing more general programming, such as talk shows, documentaries and specials, rather than straight news programs.

Here’s a look at the month’s other winners and losers.

Winners

NFL Draft

The draft averaged 9.9 million total viewers on ESPN, the most in the 35 years ESPN has been airing the event.

NBA playoffs

Nine of the month’s top 10 shows among adults 18-49 were NBA playoff games on ESPN and TNT.

NHL playoffs

Coverage of the second and third rounds of the NHL playoffs lifted NBCSN to its best-ever month in primetime in total viewers and 18-49s.

Bravo

Bravo earned its most-watched May ever in primetime in total viewers. It also had its best-ever night among adults 18-49 on May 4, with “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” “Watch What Happens Live” and “Married to Medicine.”

Losers

USA Network

The network has hit a rough patch of late, seeing declines in primetime, including a 26 percent drop among total viewers in May.

Bio

Bio’s rebranding as FYI can’t come soon enough: The network lost nearly 40 percent of its primetime audience in May among 18-49s.

Tags: cable, cable may ratings, cable monthly ratings, cable news, cable news networks, cable winners and losers, nbc sports network