Weekly Ratings: Fox Beats CBS During Weekday Primetime

FOX News Channel (FNC) ended the week of August 24th with 2.4 million weekday primetime viewers and 205,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo, surpassing CBS (2.3 million viewers), according to Nielsen Media Research Big Data + Panel. 

In Monday – Sunday primetime, FNC garnered 2 million viewers, and in Monday – Sunday total day, FNC drew nearly 1.3 million viewers. FNC also saw week-to-week growth during Monday – Sunday primetime, up 1% in total viewers and 3% in the 18-49 demo. Notably, CBS Evening News posted its fourth consecutive week with under four million total viewers, with the latest week delivering 3.9 million viewers.

Ratings Graphic Courtesy of RoadMN

The Five led cable news with total viewers, averaging 3.3 million viewers and 295,000 in the 25-54 demo. During the 6 PM/ET hour, Special Report with Bret Baier notched 2.3 million viewers and 180,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 7 PM/ET, The Ingraham Angle nabbed 2.2 million viewers and 162,000 in the 25-54 demo. During the 8 PM/ET hour, Jesse Watters Primetime clinched 2.9 million viewers and 259,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 9 PM/ET, Hannity drew 2.3 million viewers and 193,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo.

FNC’s Gutfeld! (10 PM/ET) landed the top spot among late-night programs, claiming nearly 2.3 million total viewers, outpacing ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1.8 million viewers) and the airings of CBS' Comics Unleashed (803,000 viewers).

Ratings Graphic Courtesy of RoadMN

FNC’s daytime programs continued outranking broadcast competition. The Will Cain Show (4-5 PM/ET) led with 1.8 million viewers. The Story with Martha MacCallum (3-4PM/ET; 1.6 million viewers) and America’s Newsroom (9AM-11AM/ET; 1.6 million viewers) all beat out NBC News Daily (1.5 million viewers). America Reports (1PM-3PM/ET; 1.5 million viewers) surpassed NBC’s Today with Jenna & Sheinelle, ABC’s The View and ABC’s GMA3 – which all drew under 1.5 million viewers. Outnumbered (12-1PM/ET) and The Faulkner Focus (11AM-12PM/ET) both averaged 1.4 million viewers.

On Saturday: Saturday in America led the lineup with 1.2 million viewers. The Big Weekend Show (5-8PM/ET) co-hosted by Tomi Lahren and Johnny Joey Jones claimed 1 million viewers. In primetime, Life, Liberty, & Levin (8-9PM/ET) also secured 1 million viewers and FOX News Saturday Night (10PM-11PM/ET) hosted by Jimmy Failla clinched nearly 1.2 million viewers. My View with Lara Trump (9PM/ET) posted 1.1 million viewers.

On Sunday: Sunday Morning Futures (10 AM/ET) had 1.4 million viewers and The Sunday Briefing (11 AM/ET), anchored this week by Jacqui Heinrich, delivered 1.3 million viewers. FOX News Live (12-2PM/ET), hosted by senior national correspondent Rich Edson, averaged 1.1 million viewers, and The Big Weekend Show (5-8PM/ET), co-hosted by Tomi Lahren and Johnny Joey Jones, nabbed 1.3 million viewers. In primetime, Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (9 PM/ET) dominated with 1.5 million viewers, Life, Liberty, & Levin (8-9PM/ET) notched 1.2 million viewers and One Nation with Brian Kilmeade (10PM/ET) garnered 1.1 million viewers.

Source: Nielsen. Big Data + Panel. Week of 8-24-26 ratings data. Average audience for cable news networks Monday - Sunday programming and Monday-Sunday based on Total Day and Prime (6a-6a, 8P-11P), P2+, P25-54. Cable News/Broadcast Program averages excludes specials and repeats and weekend cable news programs includes specials.