TV Ratings: FNC Leads All TV During Breaking News Saturday

FOX News Channel’s breaking news coverage of the U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities on Saturday, June 21st led all of television in primetime with 4.9 million viewers and 898,000 in the 25-54 demo, according to Nielsen Media Research. 

FNC led every broadcast network’s breaking news coverage including ABC (2.8 million viewers; 714,000 A25-54), NBC (2 million viewers; 468,000 A25-54) and CBS (1.6 million viewers; 281,000 A25-54). 

FNC’s coverage peaked during President Trump’s speech from 10-10:15 PM/ET, drawing 7.5 million viewers and 1.6 million in the 25-54 demo and the network posted 5.9 million viewers and 1.1 million viewers in the 25-54 demo during the full 10-11 PM/ET hour. 

Additionally, during primetime and total day, FNC defeated CNN and MSNBC combined with viewers and in the 25-54 demo. FNC commanded a 62% share of the cable news audience in primetime during its breaking news coverage.

Saturday 8-11 PM/ET

• 
  FNC: 4,938,000 viewers; 898,000 A25-54
• ABC: 2,346,000 viewers; 523,000 A25-54
• CBS: 1,371,000 viewers; 215,000 A25-54
• NBC: 1,415,000 viewers; 292,000 A25-54
• CNN: 1,809,000 viewers; 495,000 A25-54
• MSNBC:1,184,000 viewers; 175,000 A25-54

Saturday 10 PM/ET

• FNC: 5,897,000 viewers; 1,131,000 A25-54
• CNN: 2,218,000 viewers; 655,000 A25-54
• MSNBC: 1,549,000 viewers; 248,000 A25-54

‘A historic night’

During Fox News coverage of the Iran strike, anchor Bret Baier described the significance of the moment to FNC’s Sean Hannity, saying “it’s a historic night.. but the Israelis are ecstatic. You saw that in the Prime Minister’s statement saying that this is a pivot point, he believes, for the Middle East."

“I think there’s going to be a real question about what goes forward, what happens next,” Baier said. “I’ve been in contact with some of our allies, leaders in the region and other countries in the region and one said this to me: Iran will have to respond. They have to save face. Their capabilities have been degraded, but they're not impotent. That's important to realize that while the president is saying that this is a tremendous success and he believes they have been completely obliterated, the history will show that the Iran leadership will not go down without swinging.”

On Sunday: FNC peaked during its 8 AM/ET hour of FOX & Friends Weekend with 3.5 million viewers and 537,000 in the 25-54 demo. Additionally, FNC nabbed 3.2 million viewers in the 9 AM/ET hour of FOX & Friends Weekend and 3.1 million viewers during Sunday Morning Futures (Sunday, 10 AM/ET) beating ABC’s This Week (2.9 million viewers) and NBC’s Meet the Press (2.6 million viewers). At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 3.3 million viewers. Across total day FNC drew 2.1 million viewers and 317,000 in the 25-54 demo and in primetime averaged 2.3 million viewers and 289,000 in the 25-54 demo dominating the competition.

FOX News Digital saw its best two-day weekend average of 2025 across all key performance indicators. On YouTube, FOX News posted over 62 million total video views for the weekend leading all news brands according to YouTube Analytics. Video of President Trump’s address on Saturday night has generated 2 million views and peaked at 157,000 concurrents on YouTube. FOX News was also number one amongst news brands on social media throughout the weekend.

During the full week of June 16-22, FNC’s Monday-Sunday total day (6 AM-6 AM/ET) garnered 2 million viewers and 268,000 in the 25-54 demo, leading all of cable. In Monday-Sunday primetime (8-11 PM/ET), FNC averaged 3.4 million viewers and 474,000 in the 25-54 demo. 

Notably, FNC drew over 60% share of audiences among viewers during Monday-Sunday total day and primetime and placed 97 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the week.

📺BROADCAST EVENING NEWS

“World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 program of the week in Total Viewers (7.448 million) on all of broadcast and cable (excluding sports) during the week of June 16, 2025, based on Live+Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research. “World News Tonight” has been the No. 1 most-watched program on television for the 6th straight week (with and without sports).“World News Tonight” ranked as the No. 1 newscast across broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (7.448 million), Adults 25-54 (1.038 million) and Adults 18-49 (688,000).

• “World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” (5.678 million, 820,000 and 536,000, respectively) by 1.770 million Total Viewers, by 218,000 Adults 25-54 and by 152,000 Adults 18-49.
• For the 3rd week running, “World News Tonight” increased its lead over “NBC Nightly News” versus the previous week across the board: Total Viewers (+12% – 1.770 million vs. 1.585 million), Adults 25-54 (+40% – 218,000 vs. 156,000) and Adults 18-49 (+21% – 152,000 vs. 126,000). “World News Tonight” posted its largest Total Viewer lead over NBC in 10 months – since w/o 8/19/24.
• “World News Tonight” widened its year-to-year margin over “NBC Nightly News” in Total Viewers (+25% – 1.770 million vs. 1.420 million).

• For the 2nd week in a row, “World News Tonight” posted week-to-week gains in Total Viewers (+3%/+200,000 – 7.448 million vs. 7.248 million) and Adults 25-54 (+4%/+38,000 – 1.038 million vs. 1.000 million). “World News Tonight” drew its largest overall audience in 10 weeks and best key news demo performance in 8 weeks – since weeks of 4/7/25 and 4/21/25, respectively.

NBC NIGHTLY NEWS

• Nightly News lead the evening newscasts in year-over-year growth in the key demos, up +11% in A25-54 and +8% in A18-49
• Nightly News increases total viewership for the second consecutive week
• Nightly News closes key A18-49 demo gap vs. ABC by 18%
• Nightly News is the #2 most-watched show of the week with 5.7 million total viewers (LS, excluding specials, sports & syndication)

📺BROADCAST MORNING NEWS

“Good Morning America” ranked as the #1 morning newscast in Total Viewers (2.646 million) during the week of June 16, 2025, based on Live+Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research. “GMA” outperformed NBC’s “Today” (2.482 million) by 164,000, leading the NBC program for the 16th straight week.“GMA” increased its Total Viewer lead over “Today” week to week (+48% – 164,000 vs. 111,000) and year to year (+9% – 164,000 vs. 150,000).

• “GMA” improved on the previous week in Total Viewers (+2% – 2.464 million vs. 2.598 million) and Adults 25-54 (+2% – 487,000 vs. 478,000), hitting a 10-week high in the key Adult news demo – since w/o 4/7/25.
• “GMA” posted gains on the same week last year Adults 25-54 (+8% – 487,000 vs. 453,000) and Adults 18-49 (+1% – 300,000 vs. 298,000).
• On Tuesday (6/17/25), “GMA” ranked #1 across the board leading “Today” in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 (+40,000 – 548,000 vs. 508,000) and Adults 18-49 (+60,000 – 353,000 vs. 293,000).
• “GMA” narrowed its margins with “Today” versus the previous week in Adults 25-54 (-11% – 67,000 vs. 75,000) to its 2nd smallest of the season.
• “GMA” cut its gaps with “Today” year to year Adults 25-54 (-9% – 67,000 vs. 74,000) and Adults 18-49 (-18% – 40,000 vs. 49,000).

• “GMA” (2.464 million, 487,000 and 300,000, respectively) defeated “CBS Mornings” (1.868 million, 314,000 and 183,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+778,000), Adults 25-54 (+173,000) and Adults 18-49 (+117,000). “GMA” led “CBS Mornings” in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 for the last 1,379 weeks overall — since w/o 1/18/99.

📺TELEVISION SHOW RATINGS RANKER

Ranking is based on ratings data as of Wednesday, June 18, 2025. 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. Please note that some shows may not appear in the ranking probably because there are no ratings data for them within the stipulated period.