CNN ended the month of July as one of the top-performing cable networks on television, according to data released by Nielsen.
The network finished the month as the fourth most-watched cable network with total overall viewers and eighth among adults between the ages of 25 and 54 (A25-54), the demographic most-attractive to cable news advertisers.
CNN also retained a strong position among diverse audiences, placing among the top three cable networks for Black, Hispanic and Asian viewers, the network said in a press release.
CNN saw significant spikes around major news coverage, including the sentencing of Bryan Kohberger, the Sean “Diddy” Combs verdict and the Texas floods. During the Kohberger sentencing on July 23 at 1 p.m., CNN was the top network among adults between the ages of 18-34 across all cable networks and second in overall viewers and those in the A25-54 demographic, trailing only the Fox News Channel.
Original programming also delivered competitive ratings. The July 13 premiere of “Live Aid: When Rock ‘n’ Roll Took on the World” drew 795,000 overall viewers and 83,000 A25-54 viewers, making it CNN’s strongest Original Series premiere in more than a year. The special ranked in the top 10 among all cable networks in its time period among total viewers, and posted double-digit gains versus the previous four Sundays: up 90 percent among total viewers and 19 percent among A25-54.
The same night, “Billionaires Boys Club” premiered with 456,000 total viewers and 59,000 in the A25-54 demo, up 28 percent and 4 percent, respectively, compared to the previous four Sundays. Like Live Aid, the series landed in the top 10 among all cable networks in its time slot among overall viewers, the Nielsen data showed.
CNN also reported continued growth in digital engagement as it shifts more resources toward direct-to-consumer initiatives. Visits per visitor to CNN’s digital platforms in the United States increased by nearly 10 percent year over year through the first half of 2025, according to Comscore data.
