CNN beat Fox News and MSNBC combined in the coveted A25-54 demo for two crucial hours in primetime o

Many people mocked CNN for its wall-to-wall coverage of the Carnival Triumph cruise ship saga. But CNN is probably having the last laugh after its ratings spiked on the night of the ship's bedraggled return to port.
Even people who had been on the Triumph told the network casino nova scotia hotel , live on air, that it was making too much out of the story, which it covered for hour after hour after hour on Thursday. casino nova scotia hotel Media critics scoffed casino nova scotia hotel at the spectacle, which is being widely seen as a harbinger of new chief Jeff Zucker's plans to add more sensational coverage.
But the numbers didn't lie: people were interested. And numbers —not critical approval— are what CNN needs. Despite sky-high profits, its stubbornly moribund prime-time and morning ratings are what led to Zucker's arrival, as well as the ouster of several of his predecessors.
CNN beat Fox News and MSNBC combined in the coveted A25-54 demo for two crucial hours in primetime on Thursday. The Hollywood Reporter said this was a 74 percent jump over the network's recent numbers. CNN also beat MSNBC —its most pressing goal, since Fox News remains so far ahead — in the ratings all day.
A passenger displays a message casino nova scotia hotel as he rides a bus from the cruise terminal casino nova scotia hotel in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. The cruise ship Carnival Triumph docked in Mobile late Thursday. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members has been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/John casino nova scotia hotel David Mercer) Carnival Triumph Arrives
People watch from their balconies and hold up signs aboard the Carnival Triumph casino nova scotia hotel after it was towed to the cruise terminal in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, casino nova scotia hotel Feb. 14, 2013. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members has been idled for nearly casino nova scotia hotel a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine casino nova scotia hotel room fire. (AP Photo/AL.com, Mike Brantley)
Passengers from the disabled Carnival Triumph cruise ship arrive by bus at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The cruise ship Carnival Triumph is moored casino nova scotia hotel at a dock in Mobile, casino nova scotia hotel Ala., Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The ship, which docked Thursday in Mobile after drifting nearly powerless in the Gulf of Mexico for five days, was moved Friday from the cruise terminal to a repair facility. casino nova scotia hotel The ship carrying more than 4,200 passengers and crew members had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
This undated photo provided by passenger Don Hoggatt, of Dallas, shows covered urinals and bagged trash cans for passengers to use in one of the bathrooms aboard the Carnival Triumph cruise ship which became disabled after an engine-room fire left the ship powerless off Mexico last weekend. The Triumph casino nova scotia hotel arrived late Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, in Mobile, Ala., after an engine-room fire left the ship powerless off Mexico last weekend. (AP Photo/Don Hoggatt)
This undated photo provided by passenger Don Hoggatt, of Dallas, shows the tent city built on the Lido deck of the Carnival Triumph cruise ship for people to spend the day or night in to escape the stench from the lower decks of the disabled ship. The Triumph arrived late Thursday, casino nova scotia hotel Feb. 14, 2013, in Mobile, Ala., after an engine-room fire left the ship powerless off Mexico last weekend. (AP Photo/Don Hoggatt)
This undated photo provided by passenger Don Hoggatt, of Dallas, shows makeshift tents on the deck of the Carnival Triumph cruise ship for people to spend the day in and sleep in to escape casino nova scotia hotel the stench from the lower decks of the disabled ship.The Triumph arrived late Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, in Mobile, Ala., after an engine-room fire left the ship powerless off Mexico last weekend. (AP Photo/Don casino nova scotia hotel Hoggatt)
Passengers from the disabled Carnival Triumph casino nova scotia hotel cruise ship arrive by bus at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Passengers from the disabled Carnival Triumph casino nova scotia hotel cruise ship arrive by bus at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Passengers from the disabled Carnival Triumph cruise ship arrive by bus at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Passengers from the disabled Carnival Triumph cruise ship arrive by bus at the Hilton casino nova scotia hotel Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following casino nova scotia hotel an engine casino nova scotia hotel room fire. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Shienne casino nova scotia hotel Gadson, of San Antonio, casino nova scotia hotel a passenger from the disabled Carnival Triumph cruise ship, who turned 9-years-old Friday, talks to reporters with her father, Norman Gadson, after arriving by bus at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The Triumph had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Passengers from the disabled Carnival Triumph cruise ship arrive by bus at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Passengers from the disabled Carnival Triumph cruise ship arrive by bus at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico casino nova scotia hotel following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Veronica Arriaga
Veronica Arriaga, of Angleton, Texas, a passenger from the disabled Carnival Triumph cruise ship, holds a sign referring to the red biohazard bags used as toilets, after arriving by bus at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/Gerald casino nova scotia hotel Herbert) Maria Hernandez
casino nova scotia hotel Maria Hernandez, of Angleton, Texas, a passenger from the disabled Carnival Triumph cruise ship, tears up as she describes the ordeal to reporters after arriving by bus at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following casino nova scotia hotel an engine room fire. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Carnival Triumph Arrives
Passengers leave the Carnival Triumph after it was towed to the cruise terminal in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members has been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/AL.com, Mike Brantley)
Passengers of the Carnival Triumph walk to their buses after docking at the cruise terminal in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. The passengers will be bused to New Orleans casino nova scotia hotel for the night. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members has been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire.(AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Kendall casino nova scotia hotel Jenkins, casino nova scotia hotel left, of Houston, celebrates with Brittany Ferguson, casino nova scotia hotel of Houston, after getting off the Carnival Triumph in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members casino nova scotia hotel has been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/John David Mercer) Carnival Triumph Arrives
Passengers of the Carnival Triumph walk to their buses after docking at the cruise terminal in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. The passengers will be bused to New Orleans for the night. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members has been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/AL.com, Mike Brantley) Carnival Triumph Arrives
People watch from their balconies and hold up signs aboard the Carnival Triumph after it was towed to the cruise terminal in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members has been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/AL.com, Mike Brantley) Gerry Cahill
Carnival Cruise Lines CEO Gerry Cahill stands alone on the deck of the Carnival Triumph in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire before docking in Mobile. (AP Photo/G M Andrews)
Kristina Courson, left, of Paris, Texas, is embraced by Jamie Hilliard, of Denison, Texas, after getting off the cruise ship Carnival Triumph in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, casino nova scotia hotel Feb. 14, 2013. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members has been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/G M Andrews) Carnival Triumph Arrives
Passengers of the Carnival Triumph walk to their buses after docking at the cruise terminal in Mobile, casino nova scotia hotel Ala., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. The passengers casino nova scotia hotel will be bused to New Orleans for the night. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members has been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/AL.com, Mike Brantley) Carnival Triumph Arrives
Passengers of the Carnival Triumph board buses after docking casino nova scotia hotel at the cruise terminal in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. The passengers will be bused to New Orleans for the night. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members has been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/AL.com, Mike Brantley) Carnival Triumph Arrives
Then Carnival Triumph is seen behind street signs as passengers walk to their buses after docking at the cruise casino nova scotia hotel terminal in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, casino nova scotia hotel Feb. 14, 2013. The pa