Fox News Finishes May As Cable's Highest-Rated Net

FOX News Channel (FNC) finished May of 2022 as cable’s most-watched network in total day viewers and notched its second highest-rated May with total day viewers in network history, behind only May 2020. 

According to Nielsen Media Research, FNC surpassed CNN and MSNBC combined across the board and outpaced the competition in weekday total day viewers and the key 25-54 demographic for the 10th consecutive month. FNC also ranked number one in all of basic cable in total day viewers for the 15th month in a row and notched 118 of the top 119 cable telecasts for the month. 

• Notably, FNC was the only cable news network to post gains versus May of 2021 in viewers, while CNN and MSNBC experienced double-digit declines across the board in all categories. 
• Notably, MSNBC experienced its lowest-rated month with total day demo since November 1999 and its lowest-rated in primetime demo dating back to May 2004. 
• In total day, FNC delivered 1.5 million viewers, 229,000 with the 25-54 demo and 140,000 with the 18-49 demo. In primetime, FNC netted 2.3 million viewers, 351,000 in the 25-54 demo, and 214,000 with the 18-49 demo. 
• The network also delivered the top seven programs in cable news with viewers and the top 15 programs in the 25-54 and 18-49 demo.

Graphic Courtesy of roadMN (w/permission)

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, FNC has remained the go-to destination for breaking news coverage, earning double digit advantages over CNN and widening to triple digits over MSNBC across the board. FNC’s cable news audience share increased to 56% across total day and 57% with primetime viewers and according to Nielsen MRI Fusion data, continues to be the most watched network among all political spectrums. FNC is watched by more Independents than MSNBC and CNN in total day and primetime demo and is the preferred network of Democrats, with more tuning into FNC than both MSNBC and CNN in total day and primetime 25-54 demo.

At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s late afternoon offering The Five continued to make television history, earning the top-rated spot in viewers for the month and finishing the last five out of six months leading cable news. The roundtable program averaged 3.3 million viewers and 447,000 with 25-54 demo, outpacing every show on CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 8 PM/ET, Tucker Carlson Tonight continued as the highest-rated program in cable news in the younger 25-54 demo, averaging 3.2 million viewers and 522,000 in the demo, as well as 319,000 in the 18-49 category throughout May. Hannity at 9 PM/ET scored 2.7 million viewers, 428,000 in the 25-54 demo and 255,000 among adults 18-49, topping MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show and CNN combined in both categories. At 10 PM/ET, The Ingraham Angle’s Laura Ingraham remained the most-watched female in cable news, garnering 2.3 million viewers, 382,000 in the 25-54 demo and 231,000 in 18-49.

Graphic Courtesy of RoadMN

FNC’s late night program, Gutfeld!, continued as the second most-watched late night show in all of broadcast and cable. Airing at 11 PM/ET, the program also topped every show on CNN and MSNBC in total viewers and the younger 25-54 demo. Gutfeld! averaged over 2 million viewers 359,000 with A25-54 this month, outpacing ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in total viewers. Additionally, the program surpassed CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on several occasions in viewers throughout May. FNC’s late night show also topped Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and TBS’ Full Frontal with Samantha Bee across the board in total viewers and the younger 25-54 demo. Gutfeld! also has the highest median income in all of late night television (ABC, CBS and NBC) in the younger 25-54 demo as well as the most upscale audience in total viewers and A25-54.