Trump Verdict: FNC Leads All of Cable and Broadcast

During the week of May 27 - June 2, FOX News Channel (FNC) led CNN and MSNBC combined with primetime viewers during the week of former President Donald Trump’s conviction. 

In primetime (8-11 PM/ET), FNC earned 2,126,000 viewers, 226,000 in the 25-54 demo commanding all of cable news combined with viewers. In total day (6 AM-6 AM/ET), FNC posted 1.4 million viewers and 161,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing all of cable with viewers. 

FNC saw week-over-week and year-over-year gains across the board, notably seeing a 57% increase with primetime viewers and 74% increase in the 25-54 demo in primetime compared to this week last year. 

Notably, the network posted 71 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the week while America’s Newsroom, The Faulkner Focus, Outnumbered, America Reports, The Story, Your World, The Five and Special Report all posted their most-watched weeks of the year.

• The Five averaged 3.4 million viewers and 327,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the most-watched show in cable news. 
• At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 2.6 million viewers and 278,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle at 7 PM/ET scored 2.4 million viewers and 240,000 in the 25-54 demo. 
• At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime was the most-watched primetime program in cable news, delivering 3 million viewers and 307,000 in the 25-54 demo. 
• At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 2.6 million viewers and 265,000 with A25-54. 
• At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night secured 1.3 million viewers and 186,000 in the 25-54 demo.

On Thursday, FNC topped broadcast and cable television as the New York jury in former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial found him guilty on all 34 felony counts in the 5 PM/ET hour. 

According to data from Nielsen Media Research, FNC averaged over 4.7 million viewers and 665,000 in the 25-54 demo when chief legal analyst and FOX News Sunday’s Shannon Bream reported the verdict during the 5 PM/ET hour.  Notably, it was the highest rated hour in cable. 

The network also topped all broadcast and cable television from 4:45-6 PM/ET, beginning when news outlets reported a verdict was imminent and as the guilty charges came down averaging 4.4 million viewers and 610,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC was also number one during total day coverage leading up to the verdict with 1.9 million viewers and 241,000 in 25-54 demo.

Notably, on Friday, May 31st, MSNBC lost more than half of its audience following the breaking news of Trump’s guilty verdict. The network saw 58% viewership declines and was down 67% in the 25-54 demo in primetime compared to the previous night. CNN was down 46% with viewers and 56% in the 25-54 demo.

At 10 PM/ET, FNC’s late-night offering Gutfeld! averaged 2,420,000 viewers and 314,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the most-watched primetime cable news program in the 25-54 demo. Gutfeld! topped all of the broadcast competition with viewers outpacing ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1,860,000 P2+), while The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon were off last week.

FNC’s daytime lineup continued to surpass broadcast programs during the week.  The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 2,032,000 P2+), Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET; 1,937,000 P2+), The Story (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 1,804,000 P2+), America’s Newsroom (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET; 1,758,000 P2+), and America Reports (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET; 1,755,000 P2+) all beat NBC’s Today with Hoda and Jenna (1,399,000 P2+), ABC’s GMA3 (1,272,000 P2+) and CBS’ The Talk (1,218,000 P2+). 

On Saturday, Life, Liberty & Levin (weekends, 8 PM/ET) was the most-watched show in primetime with 1,495,000 viewers. Cavuto Live (weekends 6-10 AM/ET) was the top show in the 25-54 demo with 164,000 viewers. The Big Weekend Show (Saturday 7 PM/ET) posted 1.3 million viewers and 116,000 in the 25-54 demo. One Nation with Brian Kilmeade (Saturday, 9 PM/ET) posted 1.2 million viewers.

On Sunday, Maria Bartiromo’s Sunday Morning Futures (Sunday, 10 AM/ET) was the top show of the weekend with 1,639,000 viewers and 179,000 in the 25-54 demo. In primetime, Sunday Night in America (Sunday, 9 PM/ET) was most-watched with 1,580,000 viewers and 174,000 in the 25-54 demo, marking the show’s highest-rated telecast since August 2022. 

FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends, 6-10 AM/ET), which featured the first interview with former President Trump following his conviction, drew 1.2 million viewers and 160,000 in the 25-54 demo seeing double digit increases year-to-date in both categories.

Source: Nielsen. Live+SD. Week of 5-27-24 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.