TV Ratings: Politics And Football Draw Viewers To Watch

During the week of October 21 - 27th, FOX News Channel (FNC) led all of cable television with both primetime and total day viewers. FNC also surpassed the cable news competition combined across the board in primetime and total day. In primetime (8-11 PM/ET), FNC earned 2.8 million viewers and 366,000 in the 25-54 demo, commanding all of cable news with viewers. In total day (6AM-6AM/ET), FNC posted 1.7 million viewers and 211,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Five was the most-watched show in cable news for the week, while Jesse Watters Primetime led in the 25-54 demo.

With the presidential election two weeks away, the big three cable news networks focused on politics and were rewarded with high viewership. CNN, Fox News and MSNBC were all up in both measured categories across both dayparts.

Harris, Cooper

CNN’s Anderson Cooper-moderated town hall with Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris gave the network a boost as it was the most-watch program on Wednesday evening among all the cable networks with 3.334 million total viewers. The network saw double digit increases across the board compared to the previous week.

TV Newser reports Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of October 21 saw FNC average 2.769 million total viewers and 366,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was up by +6% and +11% in those respective categories relative to the week prior.

In total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.669 million total viewers and 211,000 A25-54 viewers for week-to-week gains of +2% in the former category and +1% in the latter.

Among all basic cable networks, Fox News reclaimed its No. 1 spot in total primetime viewers, and jumped to third place in the primetime demo. It led in total viewers across total day and placed second in the total day demo.

MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 1.296 million total viewers and 154,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for respective week-to-week gains of +1% and +15% compared to the week prior. Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC went from fifth to third place in total primetime viewers, and climbed one spot to seventh in the demo. During total day, it was the No. 2 network in total viewers and slid from fifth to sixth in the demo.

During primetime, CNN averaged 956,000 total viewers and 198,000 A25-54 viewers in the demo. That translates to double digit gains +54% in the former category and +69% in the latter. CNN rose to fourth place with total viewers in primetime and jumped from No. 11 to No. 5 in the primetime demo. In total day, the network finished fourth with both total viewers and the demo.

 Fox News had 13 of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with The Five (3.661 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) taking the top spot. MSNBC occupied the remaining two spots, with The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (1.815 million viewers at 10 p.m. ET) landing at No. 10.

• For the week, The Five averaged 3.7 million viewers and 342,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 2.7 million viewers and 290,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle saw 2.9 million viewers and 331,000 in the 25-54 demo at 7 PM/ET. At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime delivered 3.6 million viewers and 466,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the top show in cable news across in the 25-54 demo. At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 2.8 million viewers and 384,000 with A25-54. At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night secured 1.8 million viewers and 269,000 in the 25-54 demo.
• FOX News Channel’s Gutfeld! continued to lead all late-night television across the board. For the week, Gutfeld! averaged 3 million viewers and 418,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2.2 million P2+; 377,000 A25-54) and NBC’s The Tonight Show (1.2 million P2+; 288,000 A25-54).
• FNC also saw a number of its daytime programs outrank the broadcast competition. Most notably, Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET; 2,055,000 P2+), Harris Faulkner’s The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 1,912,000 P2+), America’s Newsroom with Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET; 1,876,000 P2+), America Reports with Sandra Smith and John Roberts (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET; 1,714,000) and The Story with Martha MacCallum (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 1,714,000 P2+) all outpaced NBC’s Today with Hoda and Jenna (1,326,000 P2+), ABC’s GMA3 (1,239,000 P2+) and CBS’ The Talk (1,179,000 P2+).

• On Saturday, Life, Liberty & Levin (weekends, 8 PM/ET) was the most-watched show of the day with 1,592,000 viewers and 139,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Big Weekend Show (weekends, 7 PM/ET) followed with 1,509,000 viewers and 170,000 in the 25-54 demo. Cavuto Live (Saturday, 10 AM - 12 PM/ET) was the top show in the 25-54 demo with 176,000 viewers. FOX News Saturday Night with Jimmy Failla (Saturday, 10 PM/ET) nabbed 1 million viewers and 117,000 in the 25-54 demo.
• On Sunday, The Big Weekend Show aired from 7-9 PM/ET and secured 3,676,000 viewers and 549,000 in the 25-54 demo. Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy followed at 9 PM/ET seeing 2.2 million viewers and 267,000 in the 25-54 demo. FOX Report with Jon Scott aired from 5-7 PM/ET and nabbed 2.2 million viewers and 318,000 in the 25-54 demo.

Source: Nielsen. Live+SD. Week of 10-21-24 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.

📺BROADCAST EVENING NEWS

“World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 evening newscast in all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (7.325 million), Adults 25-54 (1.045 million) and Adults 18-49 (698,000) during the week of Oct. 21, 2024, based on Live + Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research.

• “World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” (5.845 million, 909,000 and 589,000, respectively) by 1.479 million Total Viewers, by 136,000 Adults 25-54 and by 109,000 Adults 18-49, respectively.
• “World News Tonight” increased its lead year to year over “NBC Nightly News” in Total Viewers (+31% – 1.479 million vs. 1.133 million), Adults 25-54 (+580% – 136,000 vs. 20,000) and Adults 18-49 (+106% – 109,000 vs. 53,000).
• “World News Tonight” saw gains on the previous week in Total Viewers (+1%/+48,000 – 7.325 million vs. 7.277 million) and Adults 25-54 (+2%/+22,000 – 1.045 million vs. 1.023 million).

• “World News Tonight” is ranking No. 1 in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 for the 6th straight season. “World News Tonight” (1.072 million and 796,000, respectively) is leading NBC (887,000 and 582,000, respectively), increasing its margins from the same point last season by triple digits in Adults 25-54 (+270% – 185,000 vs. 50,000) and Adults 18-49 (+170% – 154,000 vs. 57,000). In addition, “World News Tonight” is leading “CBS Evening News” (549,000 and 438,000, respectively) by 423,000 Adults 25-54 and by 298,000 Adults 18-49.
• For the week, “World News Tonight” (7.325 million, 1.045 million and 698,000, respectively) defeated “CBS Evening News” (4.317 million, 621,000 and 420,000, respectively) by 3.008 million Total Viewers, by 424,000 Adults 25-54 and by 278,000 Adults 18-49.

📺TELEVISION SHOW RATINGS RANKER

Ranking is based on ratings data as of Friday, October 25, 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.