TV RATINGS: FOX News Channel Leads All of Cable

During the week of January 15 - 21, FOX News Channel (FNC) was the most-watched news network in all of cable across both primetime and total day. FNC also surpassed the cable news competition, leading CNN and MSNBC combined with primetime viewers and A25-54. In primetime (8-11 PM/ET), FNC earned 2,091,000 viewers and 239,000 A25-54, commanding all of cable with viewers. 

In total day (6 AM-6 AM/ET), FNC continued to lead cable news with 1,326,000 viewers and 159,000 in the 25-54 demo, leading all of cable with viewers. FNC’s coverage of the Iowa Caucuses dominated cable news beating CNN and MSNBC combined with viewers and in the 25-54 demo. Week-over-week FNC saw gains in total day and primetime, while CNN and MSNBC were both down with viewers and A25-54. Jesse Watters Primetime was the top show in cable news, seeing its best week since debuting at 8 PM/ET in July 2023. FNC also posted 81 of the top 100 cable news programs for the week.

The Five averaged 3 million viewers and 247,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier secured 2.2 million viewers and 204,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle at 7 PM/ET drew in 2.2 million viewers and 224,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime was the most-watched program in cable news delivering 3 million viewers and 332,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 2,622,000 viewers and 300,000 with A25-54. 

FNC’s special coverage of the 2024 Iowa caucuses crushed the competition on cable news, beating the average of CNN and MSNBC combined in primetime viewers. 

FNC’s primetime coverage from 8-11PM/ET delivered 2.9 million viewers and 419,000 in the 25-54 younger demo. In primetime, FNC more than quadrupled CNN’s (707,000 P2+) and more than doubled the network in the 25-54 demo (202,000 A25-54.) Additionally, FNC more than doubled MSNBC in both categories (1.2 million P2+ and 150,000 A25-54). In the 8 PM/ET hour, when each network called former President Donald Trump’s win, FNC delivered 2.9 million viewers and 443,000 in the 25-54 demo, beating CNN (873,000 P2+ and 238,000 A25-54) and MSNBC (1.2 million P2+ and 152,000 A25-54) combined. FNC was the only network to post growth versus 2012, posting a nearly 10% increase, while CNN was down double-digits in both categories and lost 60% in the 25-54 demo. 

At 10 PM/ET, FNC’s late-night offering Gutfeld! Saw 2,151,000 viewers and 286,000 in the 25-54 demo. Gutfeld! once again topped the broadcast competition including CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (1,789,000 P2+) ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1,460,000 P2+) and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1,428,000 P2+).  

FNC’s daytime lineup continued to surpass broadcast programs. Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET; 1,772,000 P2+) and The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 1,688,000 P2+) and America’s Newsroom (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET; 1,661,000 P2+) all outranked ABC’s GMA3 (1,612,000 P2+), NBC News Daily (1,439,000 P2+) and CBS’ The Talk (1,433,000 P2+). In the mornings, FOX & Friends secured 1,090,000 viewers and 145,000 with A25-54.

Neil Cavuto

For the weekend, FNC led the cable news competition combined with viewers in primetime and total day. 

On Saturday, Cavuto Live (Saturday, 10 AM - 12 PM/ET), which broadcast live from New Hampshire, had an impressive showing as the top show of the day with 1.3 million viewers and 174,000 in the 25-54 demo. 

FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends, 6-10 AM/ET) followed with 1,148,000 viewers and 169,000 in the 25-54 demo. Life, Liberty & Levin (weekends, 8 PM/ET) was the top show in primetime with 925,000 viewers. 

On Sunday, Maria Bartiromo’s Sunday Morning Futures (Sunday, 10 AM/ET) was the most-watched program of the entire weekend with 1,586,000 viewers and 172,000 in the 25-54 demo. MediaBuzz (Sunday, 11 AM/ET) followed with 1,265,000 viewers and 128,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 8 PM/ET, Life, Liberty & Levin led the way in primetime with 1,126,000 viewers. FOX News Sunday, which broadcast live from New Hampshire, secured its most-watched show on FOX since Shannon Bream took over as moderator with 1,273,000 viewers.

Ratings-challenged CNN’s total viewership in prime time last week lagged behind the History Channel and an obscure cable network — founded by televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker — that plays Western TV shows and films, according to the latest figures released by Nielsen.

The “most trusted name in news” — which recently hired former New York Times and BBC boss Mark Thompson as its CEO — had an average of 538,000 nightly viewers in the 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. block during the seven-day period from Jan. 15 until Jan. 21, according to the most recent data compiled by Nielsen.

The weak ratings were generated despite coverage of the Iowa caucus, which saw former President Donald Trump easily rout GOP contenders in his bid to regain the White House.

CNN not only finished behind rivals Fox and MSNBC, but was the 10th most-watched channel on cable, getting beat by Hallmark, The History Channel and INSP, a South Carolina-based channel founded in the late 1970s by the Christian televangelists.

📺BROADCAST EVENING NEWS

“World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 program of the week in Total Viewers (8.771 million) on all of broadcast and cable (excluding sports) during the week of Jan. 15, 2024, based on Live + Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research.

“World News Tonight” ranked as the No. 1 newscast on all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (8.771 million), Adults 25-54 (1.275 million) and Adults 18-49 (865,000). “World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” (7.338 million, 1.085 million and 721,000, respectively) by 1.433 million Total Viewers, by 190,000 Adults 25-54 and by 144,000 Adults 18-49.

“World News Tonight” improved on the previous week in Total Viewers (+1%/63,000 – 8.771 million vs. 8.708 million), Adults 25-54 (+12%/+137,000 – 1.275 million vs. 1.138 million)and Adults 18-49 (+8%/+68,000 – 865,000 vs. 799,000), hitting season highs in overall viewers and in the key Adults news demo. In fact, “World News Tonight” drew its largest overall audience in nearly 1 year and its strongest Adults 25-54 delivery in over 9 months — since weeks of 1/30/23 and 3/27/23, respectively.

On Tuesday (1/16/24), “World News Tonight” delivered its most-watched telecast (9.168 million) in nearly 1 year — since 1/30/23.

“World News Tonight” has won the last 268 of 269 weeks in Total Viewers and 196 of the last 199 in Adults 25-54.

“World News Tonight” is ranking No. 1 in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 for the 5th consecutive season. “World News Tonight” is leading NBC in Adults 25-54 (+55,000 – 1.125 million vs. 1.070 million) and in Adults 18-49 (+50,000 – 778,000 vs. 728,000). In addition, “World News Tonight” is leading “CBS Evening News” (697,000 and 474,000, respectively) by 428,000 Adults 25-54 and by 304,000 Adults 18-49.

For the week, “World News Tonight” (8.771 million, 1.275 million and 865,000, respectively) beat “CBS Evening News” (5.438 million, 779,000 and 529,000, respectively) by 3.333 Total Viewers, by 496,000 Adults 25-54 and by 336,000 Adults 18-49.

RATINGS: The @CBSEveningNews with @NorahODonnell hit a 50-week high last week.

This season, the CBS Evening News is closest in the adults 25-54 key demo with NBC in 29 years and ABC in 7 years. pic.twitter.com/QKAkzMs1on

— CBS News PR (@CBSNewsPress) January 23, 2024

📺U-S TV SHOWS RANKER

Ranking is based on ratings data as of Wednesday, January 17, 2024. The audience figures are derived from the latest Nielsen daily, weekly, or monthly P2+ program audience averages, whichever is the most recently available within the past seven-day window.