TV Ratings: VEEP Debate Boosts Cable TV News

While the evening news broadcasts may not have seen a bounce from last week’s CBS News vice presidential debate between Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. J.D. Vance, the cable news nets did enjoy a boost for their simulcasts. All three outlets saw primetime gains of more than +30% in total viewers and the advertiser-rich Adults 25-54 demo. CNN, Fox News and MSNBC also enjoyed double-digit gains in both of those measured categories during total day.

TV Newser reports Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of September 30 saw FNC average 3.128 million total viewers and 439,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was up +34% in the latter category and +59% in the latter relative to thre week prior. In total day, Fox News saw an average of 1.696 million total viewers and 234,000 demo viewers for gains of +18% and +24%, respectively.

Among all basic cable networks, Fox News remained at No. 1 in total primetime viewers and second in the demo. In total day, it continued to lead in total viewers and stayed in second place in the demo.

MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 1.745 million total viewers and 223,000 A25-54 viewers for week-to-week gains of +48% and +70%, respectively. In total day, the network averaged 997,000 total viewers and 109,000 A25-54 viewers for respective bumps of +18% and +21% compared to the week prior. MSNBC once again finished third on the basic cable charts in total primetime viewers and dropped one place to eighth in the demo.

CNN averaged 975,000 total viewers and 224,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for respective gains of +40% and +62% compared to the previous week. CNN remained in fourth place in primetime with total viewers and dropped one spot to No. 7 in the demo. In total day, it held onto fourth place in total viewers and moved up one spot in the demo to land at No. 6.

Fox News occupied 12 of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with Jesse Watters Primetime (3.701 million viewers at 8 p.m. ET) taking over the top spot. MSNBC occupied the remaining slots, with Deadline: White House with Nicole Wallace (1.841 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) leading the way.

The top spot in the demo was also occupied by Jesse Watters Primetime (488,000 viewers at 8 p.m ET), with FNC claiming 13 out of the 15 spots. CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 (203,000 viewers at 8 p.m. ET) was No. 14 followed by an average of MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes and Inside with Jen Psaki (192,000 viewers at 8 p.m.) at No. 15.

• For the week, The Five averaged 3.6 million viewers and 401,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 2.6 million viewers and 291,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle saw 2.7 million viewers and 328,000 in the 25-54 demo at 7 PM/ET. At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime delivered 3.7 million viewers and 488,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the top show in cable news across the board. At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 3.2 million viewers and 436,000 with A25-54. At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night secured 1.7 million viewers and 288,000 in the 25-54 demo.

• FOX News Channel’s Gutfeld! continued to lead all late-night television across the board. For the week, Gutfeld! averaged 2,889,000 viewers and 378,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2,020,000 P2+; 309,000 A25-54), ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1,766,000 P2+; 374,000 A25-54) and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1,198,000 P2+; 297,000 A25-54).

• FNC also saw a number of its daytime programs outrank the broadcast competition. Most notably, Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET; 2,036,000 P2+), America Reports with Sandra Smith and John Roberts (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET; 1,962,000), The Story with Martha MacCallum (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 1,951,000 P2+), Harris Faulkner’s The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 1,794,000 P2+), and America’s Newsroom with Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET; 1,744,000 P2+) all outpaced NBC’s Today with Hoda and Jenna (1,323,000 P2+) and ABC’s GMA3 (1,315,000 P2+).

📺BROADCAST EVENING NEWS

“World News Tonight with David Muir” ranked as the No. 1 evening newscast in all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (7.068 million), Adults 25-54 (940) and Adults 18-49 (642,000) during the week of Sept. 30, 2024, based on Live + Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research.“World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” (5.681 million, 813,000 and 523,000, respectively) by 1.387 million Total Viewers, by 127,000 Adults 25-54 and by 119,000 Adults 18-49, respectively.

“World News Tonight” increased its lead over “NBC Nightly News” week to week in Adults 25-54 (+15% – 127,000 vs. 110,000) and Adults 18-49 (+16% – 119,000 vs. 103,000).

• Season to date, “World News Tonight” (7.408 million) is ranking No. 1 in Total Viewers for the 9th consecutive year, based on Most Current Data. “World News Tonight” is leading “NBC Nightly News” (5.894 million) by 1.514 million and “CBS Evening News” (4.527 million) by 2.881 million. In fact, “World News Tonight” is delivering the largest lead over “NBC Nightly News” in 29 years – since the 1994-1995 season.
• “World News Tonight” is ranking No. 1 in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 for the 6th straight season. “World News Tonight” (1.022 million and 703,000, respectively) is leading NBC (884,000 and 575,000, respectively), increasing its margins from the same point last season by double-digits in Adults 25-54 (+45% – 138,000 vs. 95,000) and Adults 18-49 (+41% – 128,000 vs. 91,000). In addition, “World News Tonight” is leading “CBS Evening News” (647,000 and 441,000, respectively) by 375,000 Adults 25-54 and by 262,000 Adults 18-49.
• For the week, “World News Tonight” (7.068 million, 940,000 and 642,000, respectively) defeated “CBS Evening News” (4.341 million, 608,000 and 417,000, respectively) by 2.727 million Total Viewers, by 339,000 Adults 25-54 and by 225,000 Adults 18-49.

📺TELEVISION SHOW RATINGS RANKER

Ranking is based on ratings data as of Thursday, October 10, 2024. The audience figures are derived from the latest Nielsen daily, weekly, or monthly P2+ program audience averages, whichever is the most recently available within the past seven-day window.