Matt Buckler: Chirs Cuomo's suspension from CNN may be a short one
Dec. 2—Chris Cuomo's suspension from his nightly show on CNN for using his position to help his brother, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo fight accusations of sexual misconduct, may be just a slap on the wrist and not a death sentence.
At least that's what CNN media expert Brian Stelter said Wednesday on CNN's "Good Day." Stelter said that Cuomo could return to his show by January.
"A lot of viewers like Chris Cuomo and want to see him back on the air," Stelter said.
"We're heading into the holiday season," Stelter said. "I think it's possible he will be on the bench for a few weeks. I think it's possible he'll be back in January."
Cuomo can be a likeable guy, more passionate than your average talking head. That passion has obviously won him some viewers.
You have to remember, however, how unethical Chris Cuomo was to use his sources to help his brother. That is a misuse of his position.
If Cuomo comes back on the air in January after just a few weeks in limbo, then you have to wonder why CNN ever suspended him in the first place.
Controversial Carlson
Tucker Carlson seems to get more negative comments thrown his way than anyone in cable news. It doesn't seem to affect him, however, in the ratings department, where he continues to reside in the ratings penthouse.
Carlson's show was No. 1 in November, bringing in 3.67 million viewers per show. Right on Carlson's heels is "The Five," which is averaging 3.51 million viewers per show.
Sean Hannity's nightly gabfest, which used to be No. 1 in the ratings, is third with an average audience of 3.23 million.
While Fox News Channel won the November ratings battle, the ratings were down by 35 percent from last November.
While Fox News took a hit, the bleeding was much worse at the rival two cable networks. MSNBC was down 59 percent in prime-time and CNN was down 77 percent.
There can only be one explanation. Former president Donald Trump and the disputed election of 2020 was good for business.
Husky hoopla
College basketball matchups between the top two teams in the country happen about as often as snowstorms in November — you're lucky if you get one or two of them per year.
This year we've already have had two — one in the men's game and one in the women's game. And there was a big contrast in the ratings.
The UCLA-Gonzaga men's game, which aired Nov. 23 at 10 p.m., pulled in an audience of 1.5 million viewers.
The UConn-South Carolina women's showdown, which also featured the top two teams in the country, produced an audience of 489,000 — and ESPN was ecstatic with that rating, especially when you consider that the game took place on a Monday at noon — not exactly a prime-time slot.
Here was another stumbling block — because the matchup between UConn and South Carolina wasn't decided until the day before, ESPN didn't have much time to promote the game. And ESPN always has been great at promotion — that's one of the things the network does best.
Two UConn men's games last week also outdrew the women's game. The UConn-Auburn double overtime game, played on Nov. 24 at 2:30 p.m., attracted 753,000 viewers and the UConn-Michigan State game, which was played at noon on Thanksgiving Day, was watched by 629,000 viewers.
A viewership of nearly 500,000 for a noon weekday game, however, is a pretty strong indication that the pulse of the women's game is getting louder.
When UConn and South Carolina meet again in January, you can expect a larger audience. That's because ESPN will have plenty of time to promote it.
