Cable News Ratings: Fox Remains On Top

For the week of August 21, 2023, Fox News Channel remained in its usual position as the most-watched basic cable network and the top-rated cable news network for the full Nielsen week in total viewers and among Adults 25-54.

TV Newser reports FNC extended its lead substantially from the week before, with its week-to-week and year-over-year ratings gains driven by its broadcast of the first Republican primary debate of the 2024 presidential election cycle. More than 11 million viewers watched the primetime debate broadcast live (or within 24 hours of first-air) on Fox News-only, with an additional 1.7 million watching the linear simulcast on Fox Business this past Wednesday, Aug. 23.

For the week, Fox News averaged 2.81 million viewers and 438,000 Adults 25-54 in primetime, No.1 on all of basic cable in both measurements. The 2.81 million is +72% and the 438,000 A25-54 average is a whopping +141% from what Fox averaged the previous week (Aug. 14).

Graphics Courtesy of RoadMN (w/persmission)

After 14 consecutive weeks at No. 1, The Five slipped to second place this past week in total viewers, averaging 2.75 million, and fourth place in A25-54 viewers, averaging 285,000.

Hannity moved up to No. 1 for the week in both of the aforementioned measurements. With the Fox News GOP primary debate serving as its Wednesday lead-in, Hannity averaged 2.87 million total viewers and 432,000 A25-54 viewers for the week of Aug. 21.

Fox News had the five most watched daily cable news offerings for the week. After Hannity and The Five, Jesse Watters Primetime secured third place among all daily cable news shows this past week with a 2.58 million total viewer average at 8 p.m. The Ingraham Angle took fourth place with a 2.08 million total viewer average at 7 p.m., with Gutfeld! rounding out the top five with a 2.055 million total viewer average at 10 p.m.

Six through 10 in total viewers:  MSNBC’s The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell (2.025 million at 10 p.m.),  Alex Wagner Tonight (1.965 million at 9 p.m.), All In With Chris Hayes (1.95 million at 8 p.m.), The Beat With Ari Melber ( 1.88 million at 6 p.m.), and Fox News’ Special Report With Bret Baier rounding out the top 10 with a 1.86 million total viewer average at 6 p.m.

📺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 (7.664 million), Adults 25-54 (1.160 million) and Adults 18-49 (735,000) during the week of Aug. 21, 2023, based on Live + Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research. “World News Tonight” outperformed “NBC Nightly News” (6.202 million, 1.003 million and 662,000, respectively) by 1.462 million Total Viewers, by 157,000 Adults 25-54 and by 73,000 Adults 18-49.

For the second week in a row, “World News Tonight” widened its lead year to year over “NBC Nightly News” in Total Viewers (+26% - 1.462 million vs. 1.157 million), “World News Tonight” was up on the year-ago week in Total Viewers (+6%/+438,000 – 7.664 million vs. 7.226 million).

“World News Tonight” was the No. 2 program of the week in Total Viewers (7.664 million) on all of broadcast and cable television. 

“World News Tonight” has won the last 247 of 248 weeks in Total Viewers and 176 of the last 178 in Adults 25-54.