Cable Ratings: Fox News Remains No. 1 During Slow Week

Fox News Channel, MSNBC and CNN saw week-to-week viewership decline in total viewers during the week which started on Labor Day.

Nevertheless, with Nielsen live plus same day data for the week of September 4, 2023 officially in, Fox News remained in its usual position as the top-rated cable news network in total viewers and among Adults 25-54, according to TV Newser.

For the week, Fox News averaged 1.55 million viewers and 174,000 Adults 25-54 in primetime,  -10% and -13% respectively, from what Fox averaged the previous week (Aug. 28). The 1.55 million total primetime viewer average is No. 2 on all of basic cable, and the 174,000 A25-54 primetime viewer average is No. 7 on all of basic cable.

FNC averaged 1.03 million total viewers and 131,000 A25-54 viewers in total day, -6% and +1%, respectively, from the week prior. The No. 1.03 million total viewer average is No. 2 on all of basic cable, while the 131,000 A25-54 average is also No. 2 on all of basic cable.

Fox News’ 35 consecutive week winning streak in total day viewers was broken this past week by ESPN, which saw substantial audience growth driven by the second week of the college football season, namely Texas-Alabama on Saturday.

Elsewhere in the cable news universe, MSNBC averaged 1.02 million viewers and 103,000 Adults 25-54 in primetime, -24% and -% respectively, from what the network averaged the previous week (Sept. 4). The 1.02 million total primetime viewer average is No. 3 on all of basic cable, and the 103,000 A25-54 primetime viewer average is No. 21 on all of basic cable (tied with FX and TV Land)

CNN averaged 586,000 viewers and 108,000 Adults 25-54 in primetime, -4% and -18% respectively, from what the network averaged the previous week (Sept. 4). The 586,000 total primetime viewer average is No. 9 on all of basic cable, and the 108,000 A25-54 primetime viewer average is No. 18 on all of basic cable.

Again, the week-to-week ratings losses were expected. The Nielsen week started on Labor Day, traditionally one of the lower-rated cable news days of the year.

Graphics Courtesy of RoadMN (w/permission)

The Five remained in first place among all daily cable news programming. At 5 p.m. ET, the network’s panel talk news offering averaged a cable news-high 2.58 million total viewers and 251,000 A25-54 viewers for the week of Sept. 4, 2023.

Fox News had the six most-watched daily cable news offerings for the second consecutive week. Jesse Watters Primetime secured second place among all daily cable news shows with a 2.2 million total viewer average at 8 p.m. Hannity remained in third place with a 1.935 million total viewer average at 9 p.m., with Gutfeld!’s 1.79 million at 10 p.m. and Special Report With Bret Baier‘s 1.77 million at 6 p.m. rounding out the top five.

Six through 10 in total viewers: The Ingraham Angle ( 1.74 million at 7 p.m.), with MSNBC shows The Beat With Ari Melber (1.64 million at 6 p.m.), The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell ( 1.59 million at 10 p.m.), Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace ( 1.565 million at 4-6 p.m.), and All In With Chris Hayes (1.44 million at 8 p.m.) rounding  out cable news’ 10 most-watched of the week.

Fox News boasts nine of the top among Adults 25-54.

📺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 (7.550 million), Adults 25-54 (1.175 million) and Adults 18-49 (759,000) during the week of Sept. 4, 2023, based on Live + Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research. “World News Tonight” outperformed “NBC Nightly News” (6.127 million, 1.060 million and 729,000, respectively) by 1.423 million Total Viewers, by 115,000 Adults 25-54 and by 30,000 Adults 18-49.

“World News Tonight” widened its lead week to week over “NBC Nightly News” in Total Viewers (+2% – 1.423 million vs. 1.395 million), Adults 25-54 (+72% – 115,000 vs. 67,000) and Adults 18-49 (+329% – 30,000 vs. 7,000).

In addition, “World News Tonight” increased its overall viewer lead over the NBC program by 29% (1.423 million vs. 1.105 million). “World News Tonight” was the No. 2 program of the week in Total Viewers (7.550 million) on all of broadcast and cable television (excluding sports).