TV Ratings: ABC WNT Stands As Week's Top Show

Heading into the Memorial Day weekend, Fox News was the only news network to see week-to-week gains in total viewers and the advertiser-coveted Adults 25-54 demo during both dayparts. FNC’s winning streak has now stretched to 171 consecutive weeks.

Meanwhile, MSNBC was the only network to see week-to-week drops in both measured categories during both dayparts.

TV Newser citing Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of May 20 reports FNC saw average 2.009 million total viewers and 214,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. Compared to the week prior, the network was up in total viewers by +1% and scored a double digit bounce of +15% in the demo. In total day, Fox News averaged 1.308 million total viewers and 152,000 A25-54 viewers for week-to-week gains of +1% and +9%, respectively.

Fox News ranked third in total primetime viewers among all basic cable networks and rose two places to land in fourth in the primetime demo. In total day, the network held onto its No. 1 position in total viewers and third place in the demo.

MSNBC’s primetime line-up averaged 1.091 million total viewers and 103,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for week-to-week declines of -5% and -7%, respectively. MSNBC remained fourth among the cable networks in total primetime viewers and jumped from 17th to 15th place in the demo, for a three-way tie with the History Channel and Investigation Discovery.

CNN averaged 481,000 total viewers and 91,000 A25-54 demo viewers during primetime. It dropped by -1% in total viewers, but achieved a +10% demo gain compared to the previous week. In primetime, CNN moved from 12th place to 10th place in total viewers and rose five spots from 24th to 19th place in the demo. In total day, it once again ranked as No. 5 in total viewers and fell one spot to No. 11 in the demo.

📺BROADCAST EVENING NEWS

“World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 program of the week in Total Viewers (7.226 million) on all of broadcast and cable during the week of May 20, 2024, based on Live + Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research. “World News Tonight” has been the No. 1 most-watched program on television for 16 weeks this season (with and without sports).

“World News Tonight” ranked as the No. 1 newscast on all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (7.226 million), Adults 25-54 (996,000) and Adults 18-49 (667,000). “World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” (5.723 million, 807,000 and 540,000, respectively) by 1.503 million Total Viewers, by 189,000 Adults 25-54 and by 127,000 Adults 18-49, respectively.

“World News Tonight” widened its margins over “NBC Nightly News” week to week in Total Viewers (+8% – 1.503 million vs. 1.398 million) to a 4-week high — since w/o 4/22/24.

“World News Tonight” was the only evening newscast to grow week to week in Total Viewers (+34,000 – 7.226 million vs. 7.192 million), Adults 25-54 (+1%/+8,000 – 996,000 vs. 988,000) and Adults 18-49 (+1%/+8,000 – 667,000 vs. 659,000).

For the week, “World News Tonight” (7.226 million, 996,000 and 667,000, respectively) beat “CBS Evening News” (4.235 million, 632,000 and 419,000, respectively) by 2.991 million Total Viewers, by 364,000 Adults 25-54 and by 248,000 Adults 18-49.

📺TV SHOW RATINGS RANKER

Ranking is based on ratings data as of Thursday, May 23, 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.