TV Ratings: Football Places 6 Games In Top 10

The cable news nets had a ho-hum week as none of the big three outlets posted week-to-week gains with total viewers in primetime. But CNN did have something to be happy about as the network saw a small uptick in total day total viewers—the only network to record any week-to-week gains in either measured category across the tracked dayparts. Fox News also had something to gloat about: the network attracted 69% of the total day cable news audience over the weekend, which represents FNC’s second-best performance in its history.

According to TV Newer, Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of Dec 9 saw FNC average 2.502 million total viewers and 281,000 Adults 25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was flat in both categories relative to the week prior. In total day, Fox News averaged 1.655 million total viewers and 201,000 A25-54 viewers for dips of -2% and -3%, respectively.

Among all basic cable networks, Fox News finished in first place in total primetime viewers and slipped from No. 2 to No. 3 in the primetime demo. In total day, it occupied the top spot in total viewers and remained in second place with A25-54 audiences.

MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 590,000 total viewers and 49,000 A25-54 viewers for week-to-week declines of -7% and -13%, respectively. On the basic cable charts, MSNBC remained in fifth place with total primetime viewers and fell from 29th to 35th in the primetime demo. During total day, the network remained in fourth place with total viewers and No. 26 in the demo tied with Hallmark Mystery.

CNN averaged 360,000 total primetime viewers and 62,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for respective declines of -2% and -7% compared to the previous week. On the cable charts, CNN dropped from 17th to 19th place among primetime total viewers and from 26th to 27th in the primetime demo, tied with TV Land. During total day, CNN slid from fifth to sixth place with total viewers and fell from 15th to 19th place in the demo. 

Ratings Graphics Courtesy of ROADMN

Fox News took all 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with The Five (4.019 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) remaining on top.  The Five (400,000 viewers at 5 p.m. ET) was also the top show in the A25-54 demo, with FNC once again occupying all 15 spots.

Leading FNC’s daytime news programming, America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (9-11 AM/ET) averaged 1.7 million total viewers and 205,000 in the 25-54 demo, continuing to decimate the cable news competition. Harris Faulkner’s The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET garnered an audience of 1.8 million total viewers and 215,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping CNN and MSNBC across the board. FNC’s Outnumbered, with co-hosts Harris Faulkner, Emily Compagno and Kayleigh McEnany, was the highest-rated cable news program at 12 PM/ET with 1.9 million viewers and 225,000 in 25-54 demo. Additionally, this past Monday, Dec. 16, Outnumbered, which airs at 12 PM/ET with co-hosts Harris Faulkner, Emily Compagno and Kayleigh McEnany, beat ABC’s Good Morning America with 2.6 million viewers, compared to GMA’s 2.5 million viewers. Additionally, Harris Faulkner’s The Faulkner Focus reigned over The View on Monday, nabbing 2.3 million viewers compared to The View’s 2.2 million.

📺BROADCAST EVENING NEWS

World News Tonight with David Muir” ranked as the No. 1 evening newscast in all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (7.854 million), Adults 25-54 (1.084 million) and Adults 18-49 (726,000) during the week of Dec. 9, 2024, based on Live+Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research.

• “World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” (6.326 million, 886,000 and 604,000, respectively) by 1.528 million Total Viewers, by 198,000 Adults 25-54 and by 122,000 Adults 18-49.
• “World News Tonight” increased its margins over “NBC Nightly News” week to week in Adults 25-54 (+33% – 198,000 vs. 149,000) to its largest in 6 weeks — since w/o 10/28/24.
• “World News Tonight” widened its year-to-year gaps over “NBC Nightly News” in Total Viewers (+48% – 1.528 million vs. 1.031 million), Adults 25-54 (+281% – 198,000 vs. 52,000) and Adults 18-49 (+336% – 122,000 vs. 28,000).
• “World News Tonight” was up over the previous week in Adults 25-54 (+1%/+6,000 – 1.084 million vs. 1.078 million) and was the only evening newscast to grow in the key Adult news demo week to week.
• For the 2nd week in a row, “World News Tonight” improved on the same week last year in Total Viewers (+2%/+166,000 – 7.854 million vs. 7.688 million), Adults 25-54 (+8%/+76,000 – 1.084 million vs. 1.008 million) and Adults 18-49 (+6%/+43,000 – 726,000 vs. 683,000). In addition, “World News Tonight” stood as the only evening newscast to increase across the board year to year.
• Season to date, “World News Tonight” (7.608 million) is ranking No. 1 in Total Viewers for the 9th consecutive year, based on Most Current Data. “World News Tonight” is leading “NBC Nightly News” (6.048 million) by 1.560 million and “CBS Evening News” (4.548 million) by 3.060 million. In fact, “World News Tonight” is growing its Total Viewer lead over NBC compared to the same point last season (+44% – 1.560 million vs. 1.086 million) to its largest in 30 years — since the 1994-1995 season.

• For the week, “World News Tonight” (7.854 million, 1.084 million and 726,000, respectively) defeated “CBS Evening News” (4.674 million, 683,000 and 450,000, respectively) by 3.180 million Total Viewers, by 401,000 Adults 25-54 and by 276,000 Adults 18-49.

📺TV SHOW RATINGS RANKER

Ranking is based on ratings data as of Friday, December 13, 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.