In a year when America’s tea party activists have been surging, cable news networks that slam the grassroots movement have been dying in the ratings. Is it merely coincidence?

As widely reported, 2010’s first quarter ratings for cable news networks were released earlier this month. Compared to the numbers in 2009, Fox News Channel, frequently reported as a favorite of the tea partiers, actually gained 3 percent over last year’s numbers, but MSNBC, whose left-leaning commentary has been far more critical of the movement, has dropped 15 percent of its audience.

Even more startling, however, is the ratings freefall of the former news giant CNN, whose viewing audience has been sliced by 39 percent. Full Piece