TV Ratings: Fox News Dominates 2023 1Q, March

FOX News Channel (FNC) finished the first quarter of 2023 as cable’s most-watched network in primetime and total day viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.  Additionally, FNC beat CNN and MSNBC combined with total day and primetime viewers and the A25-54 demo for the seventh consecutive quarter. 

With primetime viewers in cable news, this marked the 85th straight quarter that FNC has been number one. Additionally, FNC won every single weekday hour over the cable news competition with double and triple-digit percent advantages while delivering 98 of the top 100 telecasts in cable news. In total day, FNC delivered 1,364,000 viewers, 174,000 with A25-54 and 111,000 with A18-49. In primetime, FNC netted 2,088,000 viewers, 259,000 in the 25-54 demo, and 171,000 with A18-49. Additionally, FNC’s cable news audience share increased to over 52% across all key dayparts and categories as more Democrats and Independents tuned in to FNC over any other network, according to data from Nielsen MRI Fusion. In primetime, CNN averaged just 124,000 with A25-54, its lowest quarter since 1991. CNN is also down the most in cable news for the first quarter year over year across the board.

During the first quarter of 2023, FNC delivered the top 13 programs in cable news in total viewers and the top 15 programs in the younger 25-54 demo. FNC was the number one cable network during total day among Asian viewers and the top cable news network with Hispanic viewers across both primetime and total day.

Graphics Courtesy of RoadMN

At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s powerhouse The Five continued to shatter records by becoming the first non-primetime program to top all of cable news for six consecutive quarters in cable news history. Averaging 3.3 million viewers and 357,000 in A25-54, the show also outpaced every show on CNN and MSNBC across the board. Additionally, The Five and Tucker Carlson Tonight beat ABC’s The Bachelor in total viewers. Special Report with Bret Baier (weeknights, 6 PM/ET) averaged 2.3 million viewers and 262,000 in A25-54, dominating its timeslot. At 7 PM/ET, FNC’s Jesse Watters Primetime finished the quarter as the third highest-rated cable news program, averaging 2.8 million viewers and 304,000 in A25-54. At 12 AM/ET, FOX News @ Night surpassed the competition, delivering 1 million viewers and 166,000 in A25-54.

At 8 PM/ET, Tucker Carlson Tonight continued its reign as the highest-rated program in cable news in the younger 25-54 demo, averaging 3.2 million viewers, 443,000 in the demo and 299,000 in the 18-49 category for the quarter. Tucker Carlson Tonight also was the most-watched cable news show in March with 3.3 million viewers. Hannity at 9 PM/ET averaged 2.6 million viewers, 317,000 in A25-54 and 203,000 among adults 18-49, easily winning its timeslot. Comparatively at 9 PM/ET, Hannity more than doubled MSNBC’s Alex Wagner Tonight which averaged just 1.3 million viewers and 131,000 with A25-54. The Ingraham Angle host Laura Ingraham remained the most-watched woman in cable news at 10 PM/ET, garnering 2 million viewers, 265,000 in the 25-54 demo and 169,000 in 18-49.

At 11 PM/ET, Gutfeld! continued to outpace a number of the late-night broadcast competition for the quarter, securing over 1.9 million viewers and 301,000 with A25-54. As host Greg Gutfeld nears his second year in late night television (April 5th), his eponymous program continues to defeat ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1.5 million P2+) and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1.4 million P2+) with viewers. Year over year, CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was down 18% with A25-54, marking the biggest decrease in late night television.

FNC’s daytime lineup, led by two-hour morning news program America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET), saw 1.6 million viewers and 201,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 1.6 million viewers and 205,000 in the 25-54 demo and bested CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 1.7 million viewers and 208,000 in the demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1.5 million viewers and 186,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 PM/ET, anchor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.5 million viewers and 184,000 in the 25-54 demo, while Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET nabbed 1.5 million viewers and 190,000 in the 25-54 category for the quarter. Notably, FNC’s Outnumbered, The Faulkner Focus and America’s Newsroom surpassed ABC’s GMA3 and CBS’s The Talk in total viewers.