New Year’s Eve Ratings: ABC’s ‘Rockin’ Eve’ Remains Dominant, CNN Tops Cable at Midnight – Hollywood Reporter
DICK CLARK’S NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN’ EVE WITH RYAN SEACREST 2025 - 12/31/24 – ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” is the preeminent destination for viewers to ring in the new year. Ryan Seacrest, marking his 20th year as host, will return alongside co-host Rita Ora to lead the festivities from New York’s Times Square. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025” airs live Tuesday, Dec. 31, beginning at 8/7c on ABC. (ABC/Al Drago) CARRIE UNDERWOOD, RYAN SEACREST
Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood ReporterSubscribe for full access to The Hollywood ReporterABC topped broadcast TV, with CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen drawing 3.7 million viewers when the ball dropped in Times Square.
By
Alex Weprin
Media & Business Writer
About 32 million people, on average, were watching live on ABC, CBS and CNN as the clock struck midnight to welcome 2025. According to data from Nielsen Media Research, ABC was as usual the most-watched network for the ball drop, with Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora hosting from Times Square, followed by a CBS special hosted in Nashville by Rachel Smith and Keith Urban, followed by CNN’s annual event with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.
As usual, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2025 on ABC was the most-watched special of the evening across both its early segments, which ran from 8 to 11:30 p.m., and its late night segment, which ran from 11:30 p.m. to 12:29 a.m, according to data from Nielsen.
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The late night segment averaged 17.9 million viewers, peaking during the midnight quarter hour with 21.5 million viewers, steady with last year’s numbers. The early primetime segment averaged 6.2 million viewers from 8 to 10 p.m., improving to 9.5 million viewers in the 10:30 to 11:30 p.m. window.
Both segments topped the other live broadcast offering, CBS’ New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, which averaged 4.9 million viewers from 8 to 10 p.m., 5.7 million from 10:30 to 11:30 p.m. and 6.9 million during the 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. window. The CBS special the previous year actually outrated ABC, thanks to an NFL game as a lead-in, but without that benefit it slipped year over year.
CNN once again turned to Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen to host its live programming, with New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen leading all cable programming for the night when the ball in Times Square dropped at midnight.
Per Nielsen, CNN averaged 3.7 million viewers from 12 to 12:30 a.m., and 3 million viewers in the 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. window, with 1.9 million tuning in on average over the course of the full night from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., both down from last year.
CNN also said that its Max streaming option CNN Max had its fourth best day on record, after only the 2024 election night and the two presidential debates.
New Year’s Rockin’ Eve is produced by Dick Clark Productions, which shares ownership with The Hollywood Reporter.Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every daySign up for THR news straight to your inbox every daySubscribe for full access to The Hollywood ReporterSend us a tip using our anonymous form.
Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/new-years-eve-tv-ratings-abc-cnn-cbs-1236098077/
