May Cable Ratings: Fox Down, 'The Five' Dominates

In May 2023 Fox News ratings felt the impact of the suddenly departed Tucker Carlson, whose last telecast was April 21. For May, Fox News averaged 1.42 million viewers in primetime, a 32% decline from April, when the network averaged 2.08 million viewers. (All ratings are based on live + same day from Nielsen.) In May, Fox News ranked third in primetime viewership behind TNT and ESPN, both had benefited from their month-long coverage of the NBA postseason, according to Brad Adgate for Forbes.

For the total day, in May, Fox News had an average audience of 1.09 million viewers, compared to 1.29 million in April, a fall-off of 16%. Despite the audience decline, May 2023 marked the 27th straight month Fox News has been the top-rated cable news network in daypart.

In April, Tucker Carlson Tonight had been the top rated on cable news averaging 3.06 million viewers. (Carlson’s program aired in the first three weeks of the month.) For the time being, Fox has replaced Carlson’s 8 p.m. show with Fox News Tonight and rotating hosts. In May, the program averaged 1.52 million viewers. Despite a monthly time period decline of 50%, Fox News Tonight ranked seventh among cable programs.

In the wake of Carlson’s dismissal, in May, other top-rated Fox News shows reported month-over-month, double-digit declines in audience. All four, however, still rank as the highest rated programs on cable television.

From TV Newser,  here are the 10 most-watched cable news shows for May 2023, as per live-plus-same-day data from Nielsen.

1. Fox News | 5 p.m. /The Five: 2,627,000 / 19 telecasts
2. Fox News | 7 p.m./Jesse Watters Primetime: 2,137,000/ 14 telecasts
3. Fox News | 9 p.m./ Hannity: 1,914,000 / 15 telecasts
4. Fox News | 6 p.m. / Special Report with Bret Baier: 1,813,000 / 19 telecasts
5. Fox News | 11 p.m./Gutfeld! : 1,651,000 / 18 telecasts
6. Fox News | 10 p.m./The Ingraham Angle: 1,578,000 / 15 telecasts
7. Fox News | 8 p.m./Fox News Tonight: 1,515,000 / 19 telecasts
8. MSNBC | 10 p.m. | The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell: 1,485,000 / 19 telecasts
9. MSNBC | 4-6 p.m. / Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace: 1,421,000 / 20 telecasts
10. Fox News | 12 p.m. / Outnumbered: 1,416,000 / 19 telecasts