Fox News Channel’s weekday roundtable “The Five” continues to grow its audience even as overall cable viewership shrinks, averaging more than 3.6 million viewers so far this year and solidifying its position as the No. 1 program in all of cable news.
Axios reports the show, which celebrated its 15th anniversary last week, has expanded its audience by 148% since its 2011 launch, according to Nielsen data. It has held the top spot in cable news for 22 consecutive months and frequently draws more than 900,000 viewers for its midnight replay.
Originally intended as a temporary five-week replacement for Glenn Beck, “The Five” quickly became a permanent fixture after Fox News executives recognized its potential within minutes of the debut episode. Dana Perino, one of two original hosts still on the panel, recalled the moment Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott declared from the control room, “It’s going to be a hit.”
The program’s success stems from its emphasis on genuine chemistry among hosts, which turns often-tough political debates into engaging discussions. Hosts credit teasing, mutual respect, and cross-ideological dialogue — including regular Democratic co-hosts like Jessica Tarlov and Harold Ford Jr. — for broadening its appeal.
“We all like each other,” said Ford. Tarlov called it “the coolest job for a liberal in media today,” noting the show offers the kind of cross-party conversations many Americans want to see.
Since its debut, when personality-driven panels were rare in cable news, “The Five” has helped make that format the industry standard. Over 15 years, its debates on issues ranging from guns and immigration to abortion and marijuana have even shifted some hosts’ perspectives.