Key Highlights:
- FNC Continues to Beat CBS in Monday – Friday Primetime Year-to-Date
- CNN and MS NOW See Losses in Total Viewers and the 25-54 Demo
Notably, in Monday – Sunday total day, CNN posted 373,000 viewers, seeing a six percent loss in total viewers both week-to-week and year-over-year. In the 25-54 demo, the network claimed only 53,000 viewers which is a five percent loss week-to-week and a 12 percent loss year-over-year. In Monday - Sunday primetime, CNN (554,000 viewers; 97,000 A25-54) and MS NOW (917,000 viewers; 89,000 A25-54) marked week-to-week declines in total viewers and the 25-54 demo. Additionally, episode three of CBS’ 60 Minutes was down three percent year-over-year in the 25-54 demo.
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| Ratings Graphics Courtesy of RoadMN |
The Five maintained its rank as the number one show in cable news, securing 2.6 million viewers. Special Report with Bret Baier (6-7 PM/ET) and The Ingraham Angle (7-8 PM/ET) both averaged over 2 million viewers. In the 8 PM/ET hour, Jesse Watters Primetime landed 2.2 million viewers while Hannity drew nearly 1.9 million viewers in the 9 PM/ET hour.
FNC’s Gutfeld! (10-11 PM/ET) continued to secure late-night wins, seeing nearly 1.9 million viewers and outperforming NBC’s The Tonight Show (1.2 million viewers), NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers (869,00 viewers), the airings of CBS’ Comics Unleashed (802,000 viewers), Comedy Central’s The Daily Show (476,000 viewers), HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher (475,000 viewers), and Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live (212,000 viewers).
FNC’s daytime programs continued to outpace the broadcast competition. The Will Cain Show (4-5 PM/ET) secured 1.6 million viewers, outranking ABC’s GMA3 (1.4 million viewers) and NBC’s Today with Jenna & Sheinelle (1.4 million viewers). Outnumbered (12-1 PM/ET; 1.4 million viewers) and The Story with Martha MacCallum (3-4 PM/ET; 1.4 million viewers) also outranked Today with Jenna & Sheinelle. America’s Newsroom (9-11 AM/ET) and America Reports (1-3 PM/ET) both garnered nearly 1.4 million viewers while The Faulkner Focus (11 AM-12 PM/ET) clinched 1.3 million viewers.
On Saturday: Saturday in America (10 AM-12 PM/ET) led the weekend cable news competition with over 1.1 million viewers. FOX News Live (12-2 PM/ET) anchored by Aishah Hasnie averaged 776,000 viewers while The Big Weekend Show (5-8 PM/ET), co-hosted by Tomi Lahren and Johnny Joey Jones, landed 864,000 viewers. In primetime, Life, Liberty, & Levin (8-9 PM/ET) nabbed 748,000 viewers, My View with Lara Trump (9 PM/ET) notched 795,000 viewers, and FOX News Saturday Night (10-11 PM/ET) with Jimmy Failla led the night with 823,000 viewers.
On Sunday: Sunday Morning Futures (10-11 AM/ET) averaged 914,000 viewers and The Sunday Briefing (11 AM-12 PM/ET), anchored this week by Peter Doocy, delivered 913,000 viewers. FOX News Live (12-2 PM/ET), hosted by senior national correspondent Rich Edson, clinched 737,000 viewers while The Big Weekend Show (5-8 PM/ET) garnered 671,000 viewers. Leading the night, Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (9-10 PM/ET) notched 886,000 viewers. Life, Liberty, & Levin (8-9 PM/ET) landed 850,000 viewers and One Nation with Brian Kilmeade (10-11 PM/ET) claimed 655,000 viewers.
Source: Nielsen. Big Data + Panel. Week of 9-28-26 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.