But it also appears to be working, at least in terms of attracting viewers. And the approach is supported by a Pew Research Center survey, in which a majority of respondents said coverage of the missing aircraft by the news media had been adequate or even insufficient.

Image for article titled CNN’s over-the-top, nonstop coverage of MH370 might solve its ratings problem

That said, the strong performance in March wasn’t enough to lift CNN out of third place in the cable TV wars during the first quarter. And questions also remain about how the network will hang on to viewers as interest in the missing plane subsides—and it’s unclear when the next all-consuming disaster will strike.

CNN has become a bit of a problem child for its parent company, Time Warner Inc (also the owner of HBO, TBS and TNT).  According to an analysis by Stern Agee, the network has seen a significant decline in advertising revenue since 2010.

Image for article titled CNN’s over-the-top, nonstop coverage of MH370 might solve its ratings problem

Zucker, the former boss of NBC Universal, who was appointed CNN president in 2013, has been moving to shake things up. Piers Morgan, a contentious former British tabloid editor, has been removed from the key 9pm timeslot, and further changes to the network’s prime time lineup are likely.

The network has tried many things in recent years with mixed success—even former New York governor Elliot Spitzer had a show for a while. Fixing prime time remains crucial, but owning big breaking news might the the solution to its long running woes, even if it’s not the best development for journalism.

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