CNN is spiraling — and this time, even its former anchors are piling on.
The once-respected cable news giant just posted its worst primetime numbers in decades, drawing only 497,000 total viewers in July. That’s less than a quarter of Fox News’ 2.41 million and barely half of MSNBC’s 865,000. And according to former CNN insiders, the problem isn’t the viewers — it’s the network itself.
Ex-political analyst Chris Cillizza called the figures “disastrously bad,” reposting a breakdown from Oliver Darcy, another CNN veteran who left in 2024 after seven years. Darcy now runs a media-focused newsletter and has been openly critical of CNN’s approach, particularly under its new leadership.
During a recent appearance on the “Sanity” podcast, Darcy didn’t hold back: “CNN is trying to soften its tone — at the worst possible time.” He accused executives of abandoning their core mission in a failed effort to boost subscriptions and digital reach. “Trump is assaulting pretty much every tenet of this country… and CNN’s response is to tone things down?”
Darcy warned that viewers see through the shift, which he described as a “moderation strategy” that no one asked for. “There’s a lot of alarming things happening,” he said. “Now is not the time to be softer — it’s the time to be sharper.”
Former anchor Alisyn Camerota agreed, stating that the network has “done nothing” to turn things around since her departure in December 2024. Ratings have plummeted by double digits compared to the same time last year. In the second quarter of 2025, CNN averaged just 538,000 total primetime viewers — down 13% from the previous year.
CNN’s Identity Crisis
Critics argue the network has lost its identity — trying too hard to compete with left-wing commentary on MSNBC while failing to offer the straightforward journalism it once promised.
Darcy, who previously stood by CNN’s editorial decisions, now says the network’s new direction is “confused” and lacking courage. “They don’t know if they want to be bold or balanced — and they’re landing somewhere in the middle that satisfies no one.”
Fox News continues to dominate cable ratings, with its primetime lineup attracting nearly five times as many viewers as CNN in July. Even MSNBC, despite its narrower appeal, more than doubled CNN’s viewership. Industry insiders say the brand’s decline is reaching a crisis point, with longtime loyalists now turning to alternative platforms.
A Legacy in Jeopardy
The network, which once launched the 24-hour news cycle, now faces a crossroads. Founded in 1980, CNN made its name with real-time coverage of major events — from the Gulf War to 9/11. But recent years have been marked by leadership shakeups, programming blunders, and accusations of bias.
Even its last high-profile reboot, CNN+, flopped almost immediately after launch in 2022, costing the company tens of millions.
Now, former employees are warning that unless CNN finds its voice again, it risks permanent irrelevance. “You can’t fake authority,” one analyst said. “And CNN isn’t even trying anymore.”
Meanwhile, conservative outlets like Fox News and Newsmax continue to thrive, buoyed by audiences hungry for confident, unapologetic coverage — a tone CNN once embraced and has since abandoned.
The irony? As Trump-era headlines dominate every news cycle again, the very network that once benefited from round-the-clock Trump coverage seems to be floundering without a clear idea of how to cover him.
And with November’s midterms fast approaching, that confusion may come at a high cost.