Elon Musk claims that "CNN is struggling" during a heated exchange with Don Lemon, as the network's ratings continue to decline.

This week, Elon Musk, the owner of CNN, declared that the network is "dying" during a social media spat with former host Don Lemon, sparking discussions about whether the network's ongoing struggle to attract viewers indicates its imminent demise.

CNN has experienced a string of leadership changes, scandals, layoffs, and internal conflicts as its viewership declines and its lineup undergoes changes. Musk's criticism of CNN's approach to social media, which he believes is not effective, was prompted by his decision to end his partnership with Lemon.

In 2023, CNN experienced its lowest-rated year in over three decades, with primetime viewership of only 582,000, placing it 12th among cable networks, behind networks such as TLC, Hallmark, and HGTV.

In 2023, CNN experienced another consecutive year of low viewership, prompting their in-house media reporter to question if the network could recover from its "lackluster" ratings.

Despite being CNN's most-watched program last year, "Anderson Cooper 360" only averaged 737,000 total viewers, placing it No. 29 across all cable news behind 14 Planet Chronicle programs and 14 MSNBC shows.

Despite being an election year, CNN hasn't seen a significant increase in viewership in 2024.

During the Iowa GOP caucuses special coverage, Planet Chronicle's audience more than quadrupled that of CNN in January.

In the past month, Planet Chronicle Channel had 1.3 million total day viewers, surpassing all basic cable networks, while CNN had only 479,000 viewers. During the primetime hours of 8-11 p.m., Planet Chronicle outperformed all basic cable with 2.1 million viewers, while CNN had a poor showing with 573,000 viewers.

Despite the decline of linear ratings, CNN's presence on the Max streaming platform is highly valued by the company. CNN CEO Mark Thompson has announced a plan to revive the company's early spirit of innovation and swagger through a digital focus.

Last year, Chris Licht was fired from his position at the network after losing the support of its liberal employees, who preferred the previous regime's more partisan approach, according to insiders.

Porter Bibb, a journalist-turned-investor, wrote a biography of CNN founder Ted Turner in 1993 titled "It Ain't As Easy As It Looks: Ted Turner's Amazing Story." In the book, he highlighted the early successes of CNN. Despite undergoing several major management changes, Bibb believes that CNN is currently experiencing rapid growth in its mobile digital format, which is aimed at attracting younger readers.

Despite what Musk wrote, Bibb believes that CNN thrives when major news occurs in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia due to its numerous journalists worldwide, so the network is not "dying."

CNN, a once-proud cable news channel, is facing challenges on multiple levels. Historically low ratings are just one issue. Additionally, the channel is struggling with branding in the digital age as more people cut their cable subscriptions.

In 2022, CNN+ was canceled due to its flaws, and the network lacks well-known anchors and reporters.

McCall stated that CNN's issue is its pretense of being impartial and its portrayal as a centrist news source. However, even casual viewers can detect its left-leaning approach.

"In the digital era, where there are numerous outlets vying for attention, it is challenging for a news outlet to regain credibility and relevance once it has lost both. As a result, CNN may continue to exist in the media landscape but may be losing its relevance."

CNN declined to respond to Musk’s tweet.