CNN's New Primetime Schedule Stumbles out of the Gate

CNN boss Jeff Zucker kicked off the network's new primetime schedule this week and it has not gone very well, ratings wise. 

Zucker's golden boy Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown” on Monday finished well behind both Fox News and MSNBC.

CNN canceled former 9 p.m. series “Piers Morgan Live” earlier this year due to low ratings. The net is now turning the 9 p.m. hour over to original series, films and in-house produced documentaries.

According to Nielsen estimates, “Parts Unknown” averaged 119,000 adults 25-54 and 281,000 viewers overall in the 9 o’clock hour. Fox News Channel’s “The Kelly File” dominated (259,000 adults 25-54, 1.79 million viewers overall), and MSNBC’s “Rachel Maddow” placed second (156,000 adults 25-54; 720,000 total viewers).

At 10 p.m., the new “CNN Tonight,” which rounds up the top stories of the day and is hosted by Don Lemon, averaged 105,000 adults 25-54 and 304,000 total viewers. It also finished well behind the competition.

For the night, which now includes Anderson Cooper’s “AC360″ at 8 p.m., CNN averaged 112,000 adults 25-54 and 287,000 total viewers — down 18% and 30% respectively from the net’s prior primetime May average. FNC and MSNBC, on the other hand, both were up a bit from their prior May averages.

Ouch!

H/T Variety