TV Ratings: Super Bowl Tops, FNC Dominates Cable News

Fani Willis testifies

Breaking news situations and coverage of the Fanni Willis testimony in a Georgia court gave the cable news networks some ratings juice this past week. All networks experienced week-to-week gains, with MSNBC and CNN seeing double-digit gains compared to the previous week.

According to TV Newser, Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of Feb. 12 officially shows Fox News Channel was the top-rated cable news network in total viewers and among Adults 25-54 for the fifth straight week. In primetime, FNC averaged 2.104 million total viewers and 232,000 A25-54 viewers. This was a +3% gain in total viewers and A25-54, respectively, relative to the week prior (week beginning Feb. 5). 

Among all basic cable networks, Fox News maintained its No. 1 position in total primetime viewers and No. 5 in the primetime demo. In total day, the network was the only cable network to cross one million total viewers in total day, holding its No. 1 position, while it was the No. 3 in the total day demo for the week of Feb. 12, 2024.

MSNBC in primetime averaged 1.457 million total viewers and 140,000 viewers from the A25-54 demo for the week of Feb. 12. It had a +10% gain in total viewers and +17% in the A25-54 demo from what the network averaged the week prior. Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC finished the week at No. 3 in total primetime viewers—TNT took the second spot—and No. 18 in the demo. It was No. 2 in total day viewers and No. 16 in the total day demo. In total day, MSNBC was the No.2 network and tied for ninth place with CNN in the demo.

CNN averaged 677,000 total primetime viewers and 125,000 A25-54 viewers in primetime for the week of Feb. 12. The news net had a hefty +35% increase and +14% in total viewers and A25-54, respectively, compared to primetime in the prior week. 

Fox had 10 out of the 15 most-watched cable news shows of the week, led once again by The Five (3.262 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET). MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell at 10 p.m. ET was the most-watched non-Fox cable news show of the week, coming in at No. 7 with an average of 1.920 million viewers. MSNBC had five of its shows in the top 15 of most-watched cable news shows.

Meanwhile, Gutfeld! remained the top cable news program among Adults 25-54, averaging 323,000 A25-54 viewers at 10 p.m. ET. Fox News once again led the way with 13 out of the top 15 cable news shows in the demo overall, with MSNBC occupying the final two spots. Lawrence O’Donnell once again was its top show, coming in at No. 14 with 188,000 viewers at 10 p.m. ET, and the Rachel Maddow/Alex Wagner timeslot came in at No. 15 with 181,000 viewers for the demo at 9 p.m. ET.

📺BROADCAST NETWORK EVENING NEWS

“World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 program of the week in Total Viewers (8.026 million) on all of broadcast and cable during the week of Feb. 12, 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 (8.026 million), Adults 25-54 (1.167 million) and Adults 18-49 (792,000) airing Monday-Friday, not impacted by sports, for the first time since the week of 9/4/23. “World News Tonight” outperformed “NBC Nightly News” (6.812 million, 940,000 and 626,000, respectively) by 1.214 million Total Viewers, by 227,000 Adults 25-54 and by 166,000 Adults 18-49.

Season to date, “World News Tonight” (8.082 million) is ranking No. 1 in Total Viewers for the 8th straight year, based on Most Current Data. “World News Tonight” is leading “NBC Nightly News” (6.910 million) by 1.172 million and “CBS Evening News” (4.945 million) by 3.137 million.

📺U-S TV SHOW RATINGS RANKER

Ranking is based on ratings data as of Friday, February 16, 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.