FOX News Channel (FNC) capped off its 25th anniversary year by dominating all of basic cable in total day and primetime viewership for the sixth consecutive year, according to Nielsen Media Research.
In primetime, FNC averaged 2,348,000 total viewers, 370,000 in the 25-54 demo and 231,000 in the 18-49 demo. In total day, the network delivered 1,327,000 total viewers, 222,000 in the 25-54 demo and 135,000 in the 18-49 demo.
FNC obliterated CNN and MSNBC across the board, and was the only cable network to deliver more than 2 million total viewers in primetime and one million total viewers in total day. Additionally, according to data from Nielsen/MRI Fusion, more independents and democrats tuned into FNC than CNN this year while delivering the largest independent audience in cable news, making FNC’s audience the most politically diverse in cable news. Notably in 4Q’21, FNC had its second highest share of the cable news audience in its entire 25 year history with total day in the 25-54 and 18-49 demo. FNC also drew 57% of the total day audience in both the 25-54 and 18-49 demos, behind only 4th Quarter 2004.
In commenting on the 2021 ratings, FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said, “As we embark on our 20th year as the leader in cable news, the last six of which as number one in all of cable, I am incredibly proud of the unrivaled success we’ve had at FOX News Channel. Not only were we the only network to grow our audience share, but we did so while changing our lineup and transforming the entire late-night television landscape in the process, ensuring our continued momentum for many years to come.”
FNC completed the fourth quarter of 2021 as the most-watched cable news network, sweeping the competition in total day and primetime total viewers and in the 25-54 demo, according to Nielsen Media Research. Notably, The Five continued to smash records and made history as the first non-prime program to rank number one in total viewers in all of cable news for an entire quarter. The program delivered a whopping 3,296,000 in total viewers, outpacing every hour across cable news. In the 25-54 demo, The Five notched 481,000 viewers, coming second behind only FNC’s Tucker Carlson Tonight’s 542,000. Aside from marking 80 consecutive quarters and number one in primetime total viewers, FNC delivered its highest-rated quarter of the year with total day while both CNN and MSNBC notched its lowest. In total day, FNC garnered 1.4 million total viewers, 236,000 in the 25-54 demo and 152,000 in the 18-49 demo. In primetime, FNC delivered 2.4 million total viewers, 366,000 in the 25-54 demo, and 233,000 in the 18-49 demo.
FNC programs comprised 10 of the top 15 programs in cable news, including Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Five, Hannity, The Ingraham Angle, Special Report with Bret Baier, FOX News Primetime, Gutfeld!, Outnumbered, America’s Newsroom and The Faulkner Focus. The network also notched nine of the top 15 programs in the 25-54 demo, including Tucker Carlson Tonight, Hannity, The Five, The Ingraham Angle, Special Report with Bret Baier, Gutfeld!, FOX News Primetime, Outnumbered and America’s Newsroom.
This year, FNC also launched a late-night program Gutfeld!, hosted by Greg Gutfeld, and promptly became the home of the second highest-rated show in late night television (1,701,000 total viewers and 325,000 in the 25-54 demo), topping ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC’s The Tonight Show, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and TBS’ Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, among other broadcast and cable programs. Gutfeld! was also the first late night television host to unseat CBS’ Stephen Colbert as the most-watched late night television host for a full week since 2018, finishing several weeks in 2021 with the largest audience in all of late night television. Following Gutfeld! at 12AM/ET, FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream, which debuted in its new timeslot earlier this year, improved the timeslot’s ratings across the board.
➤Nielsen Cable News Ratings for 2021 (12/28/20-12/26/21) vs. 2020 (12/30/19-12/27/20)
Primetime:
In commenting on the 2021 ratings, FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said, “As we embark on our 20th year as the leader in cable news, the last six of which as number one in all of cable, I am incredibly proud of the unrivaled success we’ve had at FOX News Channel. Not only were we the only network to grow our audience share, but we did so while changing our lineup and transforming the entire late-night television landscape in the process, ensuring our continued momentum for many years to come.”
FNC programs comprised 10 of the top 15 programs in cable news, including Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Five, Hannity, The Ingraham Angle, Special Report with Bret Baier, FOX News Primetime, Gutfeld!, Outnumbered, America’s Newsroom and The Faulkner Focus. The network also notched nine of the top 15 programs in the 25-54 demo, including Tucker Carlson Tonight, Hannity, The Five, The Ingraham Angle, Special Report with Bret Baier, Gutfeld!, FOX News Primetime, Outnumbered and America’s Newsroom.
This year, FNC also launched a late-night program Gutfeld!, hosted by Greg Gutfeld, and promptly became the home of the second highest-rated show in late night television (1,701,000 total viewers and 325,000 in the 25-54 demo), topping ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC’s The Tonight Show, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and TBS’ Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, among other broadcast and cable programs. Gutfeld! was also the first late night television host to unseat CBS’ Stephen Colbert as the most-watched late night television host for a full week since 2018, finishing several weeks in 2021 with the largest audience in all of late night television. Following Gutfeld! at 12AM/ET, FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream, which debuted in its new timeslot earlier this year, improved the timeslot’s ratings across the board.
➤Nielsen Cable News Ratings for 2021 (12/28/20-12/26/21) vs. 2020 (12/30/19-12/27/20)
Primetime:
- FNC: 2,348,000 P2+ (down 34%); 370,000 25-54 (down 42%)
- CNN: 1,078,000 P2+ (down 40%); 268,000 25-54 (down 48%)
- MSNBC: 1,533,000 P2+ (down 28%); 216,000 25-54 (down 39%)
- FNC: 1,327,000 P2+ (down 29%); 222,000 25-54 (down 35%)
- CNN: 773,000 P2+ (down 32%); 185,000 25-54 (down 40%)
- MSNBC: 905,000 P2+ (down 27%); 125,000 25-54 (down 38%)
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