''Cuomo Prime Time'' is an American news analysis show that aired on
CNN
Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
from June 4, 2018, to November 29, 2021. Hosted by
Chris Cuomo, the series features analysis and debates on current news topics, as well as in-depth interviews with notable figures.
The series was canceled by CNN in November 2021, after Cuomo was fired over sexual misconduct allegations. The hour has since been replaced by ''
CNN Tonight'', a transitional program produced by the ''Cuomo Prime Time'' staff with rotating anchors (not to be confused with ''
Don Lemon Tonight'', which previously used the title).
History

''Cuomo Prime Time'' was first broadcast for a week-long trial run in August 2017. A second, month-long run occurred in January 2018. before the program officially premiered on June 4, 2018.
A format established by Cuomo as one of two main co-hosts of the weekday edition of CNN's ''
New Day'', a three-hour morning news show, consists of an in-depth interview with a leading newsmaker (usually a senior public figure such as a politician, legal advocate or a celebrity in a public campaign), and it became an important part of ''Cuomo Prime Time'' during the show's two trial runs.
On the opening night, Cuomo interviewed White House Attorney
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis Giuliani ( , ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and Disbarment, disbarred lawyer who served as the 107th mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney ...
in the first ''One on One'' interview, and asked him to explain apparent discrepancies in the
Trump Tower story.
President Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
...
had contradicted earlier categorical and repeated assurances that he had no hand in drafting a statement about his son's presence at a meeting at
Trump Tower
Trump Tower is a 58-story, mixed-use condominium skyscraper at 721–725 Fifth Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, between East 56th and 57th Streets. The building contains the headquarters for the Trump Organiza ...
in which a Russian intelligence operative was allegedly present. Giuliani said: "It was a mistake. I swear to God".
The show was the first major change to CNN's evening schedule for several years, which until the show's launch typically consisted of two hours each for the news analysis shows ''
Anderson Cooper 360°
''Anderson Cooper 360°'' (commonly shortened to either ''AC-360'' or ''360'') is an American television news show on CNN and CNN International, hosted by CNN journalist and news anchor Anderson Cooper. Current segments include ‘Reality Check ...
'' (8 p.m. – 10 p.m. E.T.) and ''
CNN Tonight with Don Lemon'' (10 p.m. – 12 midnight E.T.).
CNN's audience share has grown in recent years, but still lags behind that of
Fox News
The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...
and
MSNBC
MSNBC is an American cable news channel owned by the NBCUniversal News Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. Launched on July 15, 1996, and headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, the channel primarily broadcasts r ...
during
prime time
Prime time, or peak time, is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for television shows. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...
.
In the 25 to 54-year-old demographic, during February 2018, Fox News' ''
Hannity
''Hannity'' is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative television political Talk show, talk program on Fox News hosted by Sean Hannity. Episodes air live at 9:00 p.m. from Monday through Thursday, while episodes that ai ...
'' averaged 711,000 viewers, MSNBC's ''
The Rachel Maddow Show'' averaged 641,000, but ''Anderson Cooper 360°'' lagged behind at 386,000 average viewers. However, during its January trial run, ''Cuomo Prime Time'' tied with CNN's highest-rated show, ''Anderson Cooper 360°'', among television viewers in the important 25-54 age ranges. But CNN's Executive Vice President of Programming, Michael Bass, argued that chasing ratings is much less important to CNN than establishing a viable new programming format, and that the change was needed because CNN sometimes airs non-live programs at 9pm E.T., such as documentaries and features, and instead "needs to be live" at a time when potentially important news stories are developing.
[
''Cuomo Prime Time'' was scheduled to directly compete with Fox News' '']Hannity
''Hannity'' is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative television political Talk show, talk program on Fox News hosted by Sean Hannity. Episodes air live at 9:00 p.m. from Monday through Thursday, while episodes that ai ...
'' and MSNBC's '' The Rachel Maddow Show'', which both consist of partisan political commentary from their respective presenters, in contrast to the analytical approach of CNN, in which a wide range of experts and political veterans with differing opinions are interviewed in large studio-based panel discussions. Cuomo said that he recognized that both Maddow and Hannity had high ratings: "They have huge numbers. I have huge respect for their success, and I take nothing away from them...But the point is, I don’t know where their partisan fights are getting us". Cuomo says that his interviews will feature newsmakers whom he will challenge if their statements are non-factual, and that his new show will encourage "debating with decency".[ He describes his approach as one where "You have to hold people to answer the questions. There is too much evasiveness, too much pandering, too much playing with the facts. You have to cut out the bias".][ He also says that "people are making the choice to be all in on one side. And unfortunately, while it's being done in the name of balance and in the name of truth, it's really just deepening the divide. That's feeding this move towards the tribal. I think that's a mistake".
Cuomo said that his new show would "not be tethered to the TV studio" and that he would travel more frequently for live broadcasts to the scenes of big breaking news.][ During a recent edition of ''The Axe Files'' podcast, host David Axelrod asked Cuomo about the title of ''Cuomo Prime Time'', and he responded that none of the “trappings” of the program matter to him and that during the January 2018 econdtrial run, he "wore the same suit every night for a month".
]
Andrew Cuomo defense and firing from CNN
On November 30, 2021, Cuomo was suspended indefinitely by CNN, following reports that he assisted in the defense against the sexual harassment allegations that led to the resignation of his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Mark Cuomo ( , ; born December 6, 1957) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 until his resignation in 2021. A member of the Democratic Party and son of former governor Mario Cuomo, ...
. ''Cuomo Prime Time'' would be temporarily replaced by an additional hour of ''Anderson Cooper 360°'' for the remainder of the week, and it had been reported that Michael Smerconish (who has filled in for Cuomo in the past) would guest host ''Cuomo Prime Time'' beginning December 6.
On December 1, 2021, CNN received additional allegations that Chris had engaged in sexual misconduct
Sexual misconduct is misconduct of a sexual nature which exists on a spectrum that may include a broad range of sexual behaviors considered unwelcome. This includes conduct considered inappropriate on an individual or societal basis of morality, ...
involving an anonymous former colleague, represented by attorney Debra Katz. She has since claimed that this allegation precipitated his firing from CNN. On December 6, ''Cuomo Prime Time'' was replaced with a transitional program produced by the ''Cuomo Prime Time'' staff under the '' CNN Tonight'' branding, anchored by rotating personalities (with Smerconish hosting the first week of shows).
Format
The show opened with a run-down of several program segments and the naming of guests. The segments consisted of the following:
* ''Opening Statement'' — Cuomo on most kickoff segments would talk about the recent news, and combines them with his own opinions in a speech;
* ''One on One'' — As the title implies, an in-depth interview with a single guest. There would sometimes be more than one of this segment per show;
* ''The Great Debate'' — Two guests argue over opposing viewpoints of a contentious issue, where unproven or untruthful statements are challenged;
* ''@The Whiteboard'' — A point-by-point overview of a top news story, with Cuomo drawing on a vertical whiteboard to highlight key points and connections between them
* ''Cuomo's Court''
* ''Closing Argument''
Ratings
In the first week of the presidency of Joe Biden
Joe Biden's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 46th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Joe Biden, his inauguration on January 20, 2021, and ended on January 20, 2025. Biden, a member of the Democr ...
, the show had a drop in viewers and a ratings decline with over 5 million total viewers at the beginning of January 2021 to 2.1 million on the last week of the month. In the key 25-54 demo, ''Cuomo Prime Time'' had their audience cut in half with fewer than half a million total viewers. Despite this, ''Cuomo Prime Time'' was reported as CNN's most watched program in January 2021 as well. The show was also reported as having more viewership than any other cable news program in the 25–54 demo during the first of quarter of 2021 as well, gaining both 66% in total viewers and 50% in the demo, compared to the first quarter of 2020.
During the early August 2021 time frame, just before his brother, New York Governor
The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ha ...
Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Mark Cuomo ( , ; born December 6, 1957) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 until his resignation in 2021. A member of the Democratic Party and son of former governor Mario Cuomo, ...
, announced his resignation from office, the show did not break the million viewer mark for the fifth straight week, scoring 856,000 viewers, with 192,000 viewers in the 25–54 demographic group. Nevertheless, ''Cuomo Prime Time'' still remained one of CNN's most watched shows and '' Variety'' reported that CNN still supported Chris Cuomo despite the scandal.
References
External links
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{{CNN
2017 American television series debuts
2021 American television series endings
2010s American television talk shows
2020s American television talk shows
CNN original programming
American English-language television shows