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Thursday, January 4, 2024

Fox News Channel Again Is Highest-Rated Cable Network


FOX News Channel (FNC) remained cable television’s most-watched network for the eighth consecutive year in 2023, according to data from Nielsen Media Research.  Through the continued dominance of the hit program The Five, the launch of FNC’s new primetime lineup, coupled with the success of its daytime programming, the network maintained its number one spot in cable news. 

Additionally, the network had the largest share of the audience in total day (46%) and primetime (48%), capturing nearly half of the cable news landscape. In primetime, FNC delivered over 1.8 million viewers and 210,000 in 25-54 demo, topping CNN and MSNBC combined in total viewership. On a 24-hour total day basis, FNC averaged over 1.2 million viewers and 148,000 in 25-54, with a 152% advantage over CNN in viewers. 

FNC continued to sweep the competition, winning every hour in the 25-54 demo, as CNN marked the network’s lowest-rated year of all time, the second year in a row with a historic low. Additionally, MSNBC delivered its least-watched year in the primetime demo since 1999, losing 8% of viewers in the category and finishing flat in total viewership compared to 2022.

Suzanne Scott
In commenting on the ratings, FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said, “During yet another unprecedented news cycle, cable viewers continued to choose FOX News Channel. From moderating debates to reporting in war zones and many stories in between, I am honored to work alongside this unrivaled team of journalists and opinion hosts as they continue to exceed expectations.”

This year, FNC notched the top six most-watched cable news programs (The Five, Jesse Watters Primetime, Hannity, Special Report with Bret Baier, The Ingraham Angle and Gutfeld!). The network also garnered 13 out of the 15 highest-rated programs in cable news in the 25-54 demo, including The Five, Hannity, Gutfeld!, Jesse Watters Primetime, The Ingraham Angle, Special Report with Bret Baier, Outnumbered, The Faulkner Focus, America’s Newsroom, FOX News @ Night, America Reports, Your World with Neil Cavuto and The Story. FNC also had 12 of the top 15 rated shows in the 18-49 demo.



Additionally, the first Republican primary debate in August co-moderated by Special Report’s Bret Baier and The Story’s Martha MacCallum, was the most watched telecast of the year, averaging nearly 13 million viewers and 2,815,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping more than 70% of all presidential primary debates in the last two cycles (2016 and 2020). The second Republican Primary Debate, hosted by FOX Business Network and co-moderated by America’s Newsroom’s Dana Perino and FBN’s Varney & Co.’s Stuart Varney, averaged 9.5 million viewers and nearly 2 million in the 25-54 demo, with nearly 7 million viewers on FNC and over 1 million in the 25-54 demo.

FNC’s continuous breaking news coverage of the Israel-Hamas war has remained the highest-rated in cable news since the war began on October 7th. Delivering 1,206,000 viewers and 146,000 with 25-54 demo in total day and 1,772,000 viewers and 202,000 with 25-54 demo in primetime, the network saw a double and triple-digit advantage over CNN’s 499,000 viewers and 99,000 25-54 demo for total day and 577,000 viewers and 134,000 25-54 demo in primetime. FNC beat MSNBC (1.1 million P2+ and 104,000 A25-54) and CNN combined in primetime viewers.

For the first time in television history, a non-primetime cable program finished first in the 25-54 demo and notched its second consecutive year as cable’s highest-rated in total viewers as The Five continued to smash ratings records. FNC’s late afternoon program (weekdays, 5 PM/ET) drew cable news’ largest audience in viewers and the 25-54 demo, averaging 2.9 million viewers and 301,000 in the 25-54 demo. 

FNC’s new primetime lineup crushed the cable news competition, kicking off with Laura Ingraham dominating the 7 PM/ET timeslot with 2 million viewers and 218,000 in 25-54 demo. At 8PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime (2.5 million P2+; 253,000 25-54) was the second most-watched cable news program in viewers and Hannity (weekdays at 9 PM/ET) drew the third largest audience with viewers and second in the 25-54 demo, delivering 2.4 million viewers and 271,000 in 25-54 demo. Notably, Sean Hannity’s DeSantis vs. Newsom: The Great Red State vs. Blue State Debate on November 30th netted over 5.5 million viewers and over one million in the 25-54 demo, with East and West Coast airings, making it the top-rated regularly scheduled telecast in the hour for the year.

FNC’s runaway late-night hit Gutfeld! (weekdays, 10 PM/ET) soared past the cable and broadcast competition, averaging 1.9 million viewers and 267,000 in 25-54 demo. Gutfeld! continued to disrupt the late-night landscape, outpacing broadcast shows CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and beating all of cable late night in viewers, 25-54 demo and the younger A18-49 demo. In cable news, Gutfeld! was the third most-watched show in the younger demo and dominated its timeslot.

At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier featured several high-profile interviews in 2023, including exclusives with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and topped the ratings charts. FNC’s premier news program was the highest-rated in cable news in its hour, averaging 2.1 million viewers and 214,000 in 25-54 demo. FOX News @ Night topped the 11 PM/ET hour in its debut year with over 1 million viewers and 164,000 in 25-54.

From 6-9AM/ET, FOX & Friends continued to dominate the morning cable news landscape as the highest-rated morning show for the 22nd consecutive year with 1.1 million viewers and 146,000 in the 25-54 demo. FOX & Friends also outpaced every primetime and daytime program on CNN for the year across the board in viewers. FNC’s early show FOX & Friends First (weekdays, 5-6 AM/ET) delivered 505,000 viewers and 82,000 in the 25-54 demo.


Leading FNC’s daytime news programming, America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (9-11 AM/ET) averaged 1.5 million total viewers and 176,000 in the 25-54 demo, continuing to dominate the cable news competition. Harris Faulkner’s The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET garnered an audience of 1.5 million total viewers and 185,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping CNN and MSNBC across the board. FNC’s Outnumbered, with co-hosts Harris Faulkner, Emily Compagno and Kayleigh McEnany, was the highest-rated cable news program at 12 PM/ET with 1.6 million viewers and 191,000 in 25-54 demo. Outnumbered continues to outpace the broadcast competition, beating Today with Hoda and Jenna, GMA3, The Talk, and NBC News Daily and The Kelly Clarkson Show with total viewers. 

America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET) bested CNN and MSNBC, garnering 1.4 million viewers and 163,000 in 25-54 demo. The Story’s Martha MacCallum outranked CNN and MSNBC at 3 PM/ET with 1.4 million viewers and 160,000 in the 25-54 demo while Your World with Neil Cavuto was number one in the 25-54 demo at 4 PM/ET, with 163,000 viewers and 1.4 million total viewers.

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