Fox News Channel Leads In Primetime and Total Day Viewers

During the week of April 15-21, FOX News Channel (FNC) continued as the top network in all of cable with both primetime and total day viewers, as the NBA and NHL playoffs got underway on ESPN and TNT. 

In cable news, FNC led CNN and MSNBC combined with primetime viewers. In primetime (8-11 PM/ET), FNC earned two million viewers and 214,000 A25-54, commanding all of cable with viewers. In total day (6 AM-6 AM/ET), FNC posted 1.3 million viewers and 156,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing all of cable with viewers. This also marked the 15th consecutive week that FNC has led all of cable with total day viewers. 

Notably, the network posted 72 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the week. The Five continued as the most-watched show in cable news, leading TNT’s first round coverage of the NBA Playoffs and tying ESPN’s NBA first round Playoff coverage with viewers. 

FOX News @ Night posted its most-watched week of 2024 and was a top five program in cable news in the 25-54 demo. 

FNC was also the number one cable news network with median income in terms of total day 25-54 demo with $120,800.

• The Five averaged 3.2 million viewers and 278,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the most-watched show in cable news. 
• At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 2.2 million viewers and 204,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle at 7 PM/ET scored 2.1 million viewers and 210,000 in the 25-54 demo. 
• At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime was the most-watched primetime program in cable news, delivering 2.6 million viewers and 249,000 in the 25-54 demo. 
• At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 2.2 million viewers and 232,000 with A25-54. 
• At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night’s breaking news coverage of Israel’s retaliatory strike on Iran led the program to its best week of 2024 with over 1.4 million viewers and 215,000 in the 25-54 demo.
• At 10 PM/ET, FNC’s late-night offering Gutfeld! averaged 2,155,000 viewers and 291,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the most-watched cable news program in the younger demo. Gutfeld! topped all of the broadcast competition with viewers outpacing CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2,006,000 P2+) and ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1,523,000 P2+).

FNC’s daytime lineup continued to surpass broadcast programs.  Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET; 1,647,000 P2+), America’s Newsroom (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET; 1,542,000 P2+), The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 1,528,000 P2+), The Story (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 1,517,000 P2+) and America Reports (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET; 1,428,000 P2+) all beat NBC’s Today with Hoda and Jenna (1,386,000 P2+), ABC’s GMA3 (1,313,000 P2+) and CBS’ The Talk (1,229,000 P2+).

For the weekend:  FNC led CNN and MSNBC with both viewers and A25-54, beating the competition combined with primetime viewers. Life, Liberty & Levin was the most-watched show of the day at 8 PM/ET with 1,303,000 viewers, while FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends, 6-10 AM/ET) was the top show in the 25-54 demo with 147,000 viewers. At 9 PM/ET, One Nation with Brian Kilmeade saw 1.1 million viewers and 114,000 in the 25-54 demo. Cavuto Live (Saturday, 10 AM - 12 PM/ET) posted 1,142,000 viewers and 133,000 in the 25-54 demo.

On Sunday, Maria Bartiromo’s Sunday Morning Futures (Sunday, 10 AM/ET) was the top show of the weekend with 1,471,000 viewers and 186,000 in the 25-54 demo. In primetime, Life, Liberty & Levin (Sunday, 8 PM/ET) was most-watched in primetime with 1,350,000 viewers. Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (Sunday, 9 PM/ET) secured 1.2 million viewers.

Source: Nielsen. Live+SD. Week of 4-15-24 ratings data. Average audience for cable news networks Monday-Sunday based on Total Day and Prime (6a-6a, 8P-11P), P2+, P25-54, P18-49. Cable News/Broadcast Program averages exclude repeats and include the corresponding program name.