TV Ratings: Fox News Channel Wins Cable Race

• FNC Leads All of Cable in Total Day and Total Viewers for 39th Consecutive Week
• CBS’ ‘60 Minutes’ Posts Lowest-Rated Episode of the Season, Draws Smallest 4th-Episode Audience in 25 Years

FOX News Channel (FNC) concluded the week of October 5th with over 1.9 million weekday primetime viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research Big Data + Panel. In Monday – Sunday primetime, FNC secured 1.6 million viewers and, markedly, delivered week-to-week growth in the 25-54 demo. 

In Monday – Sunday total day, FNC drew nearly 1.1 million viewers. FNC also led all of cable in total day and total viewers for the 39th consecutive week. Notably, on October 11th, CBS’ 60 Minutes posted its lowest-rated episode of the season and smallest 4th-episode audience in 25 years, delivering under 6.1 million total viewers and 767,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo.

Ratings Graphics Courtesy of RoadMN

The Five led cable news with total viewers, claiming 2.6 million viewers. During the 6 PM/ET hour, Special Report with Bret Baier saw 1.9 million viewers and at 7 PM/ET, The Ingraham Angle secured 1.8 million viewers. In the 8 PM/ET hour, Jesse Watters Primetime averaged 2.3 million viewers and at 9 PM/ET, Hannity delivered 1.7 million viewers.

FNC’s Gutfeld! (10-11 PM/ET) nabbed wins in late-night, averaging 2 million total viewers, and outranking NBC’s The Tonight Show (1.2 million viewers), NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers (855,000 viewers) and the airings of CBS’ Comics Unleashed (704,000 viewers).

FNC’s daytime programs continued to make gains on the broadcast competition. The Will Cain Show (4 PM/ET) garnered nearly 1.6 million viewers, surpassing ABC’s GMA3 and NBC News Daily, which posted 1.4 million viewers for ABC’s GMA3 and 1.5 million viewers for NBC News Daily. America’s Newsroom (9-11 AM/ET), Outnumbered (12-1 PM/ET) and The Story with Martha MacCallum (3 PM/ET) all delivered 1.4 million viewers. The Faulkner Focus (11 AM/ET) and America Reports (1-3 PM/ET) each notched 1.3 million viewers, surpassing NBC’s Today with Jenna & Sheinelle.

On Saturday: Saturday in America (10 AM-12 PM/ET) led the weekend with over 1.1 million viewers. FOX & Friends Weekend (6-10 AM/ET) followed, drawing 950,000 viewers. The Big Weekend Show (5-8 PM/ET) co-hosted by Tomi Lahren and Johnny Joey Jones, posted 828,000 viewers. In primetime, Life, Liberty, & Levin (8 PM/ET) averaged 721,000 viewers and My View with Lara Trump (9 PM/ET) secured 733,000 viewers.

On Sunday: Sunday Morning Futures (10 AM/ET) claimed the top spot of the day with 1 million viewers and The Sunday Briefing (11 AM/ET), anchored this week by Jacqui Heinrich, notched 921,000 viewers. FOX & Friends Weekend (6-10 AM/ET) nabbed 917,00 viewers. FOX News Live (12-2 PM/ET), hosted by correspondent Kevin Corke, claimed 710,000 viewers, and The Big Weekend Show (5-8 PM/ET), co-hosted by Tomi Lahren and Johnny Joey Jones, secured 751,000 viewers. In primetime, Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (9-10 PM/ET) garnered 859,000 viewers. Life, Liberty, & Levin drew 811,000 viewers and One Nation with Brian Kilmeade (10-11 PM/ET) averaged 666,000 viewers.

Source: Nielsen. Big Data + Panel. Week of 10-5-26 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.