CNN is hoping Thursday’s highly anticipated Biden-Trump debate will become a stature-building moment at a time when the cable news stalwart needs a win. When a worldwide audience settles in to watch the two presumptive 2024 presidential nominees, viewers will see the CNN logo and its two signature political anchors, Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, moderating the proceedings. The audience for the telecast, including viewers of rival networks that have agreed to carry CNN’s feed, is likely to exceed the 73 million that watched the first face-off between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in 2020.
The high-stakes event represents a chance for the network to reestablish its strengths in the minds of consumers who have gone elsewhere for their news. Management changes , talent firings and a shift away from traditional TV viewing have put CNN through the ringer in recent years. The Warner Bros.
Discovery-owned channel’s U.S. audience has declined 24% since 2022, according to Nielsen.
“They need to remind viewers of the crucial role they play in this process as being a trusted source of reliable information,” said Jon Klein, a former CNN president who’s now a digital media entrepreneur. “This is an opportunity with two premier talents in Dana and Jake, who are pros at this..
.. It’s an opportunity to showcase what CNN does best.
” Securing the first debate of the 2024 general election cycle was a coup for CNN. No single outlet has ever been featured during the general election ca.