Fox News

FNC Beats CNN, MSNBC and HLN combined in Primetime Total Viewers

NEW YORK – October 30, 2018 — FOX News Channel (FNC) proved its dominance once again during the month of October, marking 28 consecutive months as the most-watched basic cable network in total day with 1.7 million total viewers, and the fifth consecutive month as the most-watched basic cable network in primetime with 2.8 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. Among cable news, FNC bested its competition for 202 consecutive months in total viewers, notably beating CNN, MSNBC and HLN combined in primetime, in addition to outpacing CNN and MSNBC combined in total day.

Throughout total day and primetime, FNC continued to outpace CNN and MSNBC with P2+ and Adults 25-54. In primetime, FNC averaged 2,829,000 beating CNN’s 931,000 and MSNBC’s 1,575,000 combined in total viewers. With Adults 25-54, FNC garnered 540,000, topping CNN’s 290,000 and MSNBC’s 281,000.  In total day, FNC averaged 1,685,000 in total viewers, trouncing CNN’s 689,000 and MSNBC’s 909,000 combined.  In the 25-54 demo, FNC averaged 332,000 ranking ahead of CNN with 201,000 and MSNBC with 161,000.

For the month of October, the network claimed 13 of the top 15 cable news programs in total viewers and boasted nine of the top ten cable news programs in the 25-54 demo. FNC programs accounted for the top five cable news programs in both total viewers and the 25-54 demo. Hannity, Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Ingraham Angle and The Five were among the top five programs in both total viewers and in the 25-54 demographic, while Special Report Bret Baier landed in the top five most-watched in total viewers, and The Story with Martha MacCallum in the top five among the 25-54 demo. The month of October marks the first month since February 2017 that MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show did not land among the top five programs in both P2+ and 25-54 demo.

Hannity was the most-watched cable news program for the seventh consecutive month, while programs, including Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Story with Martha MacCallum, The Ingraham Angle, Outnumbered Overtime with Harris Faulkner, The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino and FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream delivered all-time highs among total viewers. The Story, The Ingraham Angle and FOX News @ Night also delivered all-time highs in the 25-54 demo.

Additionally, FNC programs, including FOX & Friends, America’s Newsroom, Outnumbered, Outnumbered Overtime with Harris Faulkner, The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino, The Five, Special Report with Bret Baier, The Story with Martha MacCallum, Tucker Carlson Tonight and The Ingraham Angle all beat their timeslot competition on MSNBC and CNN combined in total viewers. America’s Newsroom, Outnumbered, The Five and Tucker Carlson Tonight also beat MSNBC and CNN combined in the 25-54 demo.

Among cable news competition, compared to October 2017, MSNBC and CNN were down or flat across the board, while FNC programs are up. MSNBC programs, including Morning Joe, All in with Chris Hayes, The Rachel Maddow Show, The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell and The 11^th Hour with Brian Williams all had their lowest-rated months this year in both P2+ and the 25-54 demo.  Additionally, MTP Daily with Chuck Todd had its lowest month of the year in the 25-54 demo and finished third in its timeslot for the fourth consecutive month. Additionally, the program is down 22 percent in total viewers, and 28 percent in the demo vs. the previous month.

Kicking off FNC’s daytime programming, the 4AM/ET hour of FOX & Friends First garnered 575,000 in total viewers and 133,000 with A25-54. The 5AM/ET hour of FOX & Friends First had a total of 732,000 total viewers and 167,000 with A25-54. Continuing to make cable news history, FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends marked 204 months as the number one cable news program in its timeslot with an average of 1.6 million in total viewers and 346,000 with the 25-54 demo. At 9AM/ET, America’s Newsroom delivered 1.9 million in total viewers with P2+ and 366,000 with A25-54. FNC’s afternoon ensemble program at 12PM/ET, Outnumbered, garnered 2.0 million in total viewers and 362,000 in the 25-54 category. Outnumbered Overtime anchored by Harris Faulkner delivered 1.8 million in total viewers and 341,000 with A25-54 while The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino averaged 1.8 million in total viewers and 327,000 in the 25-54 demo. During the 3PM/ET hour, FNC’s Shepard Smith Reporting averaged 1.7 million viewers with P2+ and 313,000 with A25-54. Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4PM/ET delivered 1.9 million viewers with P2+ and averaged 336,000 with A25-54.

During FNC’s early evening and primetime programming, The Five garnered 2.8 million in total viewers and 499,000 in the demo. Anchored by chief political anchor Bret Baier at 6PM/ET, Special Report averaged 2.7 million in total viewers with P2+ and 492,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Story with Martha MacCallum at 7PM/ET delivered 2.5 million in total viewers and 493,000 with A25-54.

At 8PM/ET, Tucker Carlson Tonight delivered 3.2 million in total viewers and 642,000 with A25-54. Hannity was the most-watched cable news program for the seventh consecutive month, with 3.5 million in total viewers and 680,000 in the 25-54 demo. Additionally, the program has ranked number one for all three quarters and nine out of the 10 months of the year in total viewers. The Ingraham Angle, hosted by Laura Ingraham, averaged 3.0 million in total viewers and averaged 585,000 in the A25-54 demo. FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream garnered 1.8 million in total viewers and 401,000 with A25-54. During the weekends, Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo averaged 1.6 million in total viewers and 327,000 in the demo on Sundays at 10AM/ET, beating CNN and MSNBC combined in the 25-54 demo. MediaBuzz hosted by Howie Kurtz delivered 1.5 million in total viewers and 299,000 in the 25-54 demo, easily besting CNN’s Reliable Sources (767,000 P2+; 167,000 25-54 demo).

RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS FOR OCTOBER 2018: 

Total Viewers: Hannity (3,495,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (3,231,000), The Ingraham Angle (2,973,000), The Five (2,838,000), Special Report with Bret Baier (2,668,000)

Adults 25-54: Hannity (680,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (642,000), The Ingraham Angle (585,000), The Five (499,000), The Story with Martha MacCallum (493,000)

OCTOBER 2018 VS. OCTOBER 2017 NIELSEN NUMBERS (7-day week, L+SD):

TOTAL DAY:

FNC: 1,685,000 total viewers – up 16% (332,000 in 25-54 – up 3%)

CNN: 689,000 total viewers – down 5% (201,000 in 25-54 – down 16%)

MSNBC: 909,000 total viewers – up 1% (161,000 in 25-54 – down 20%) 

PRIMETIME: 8-11PM/ET

FNC: 2,829,000 total viewers – up 25% (540,000 in 25-54 – up 13%)

CNN: 931,000 total viewers – up 1% (290,000 in 25-54 – down 11%)

MSNBC: 1,575,000 total viewers – 0% (281,000 in 25-54 – down 19%)

FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news.  The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most watched television news channel for more than 16 years.  According to a Suffolk University/USA Today survey, Fox News is the most trusted source for television news or commentary in the country and a 2017 Gallup/Knight Foundation survey found that among Americans who could name an objective news source, Fox News is the top-cited outlet.  Owned by 21st Century Fox, FNC is available in 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre.

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FOX News Media Contact:

Jaclyn Giuliano; 212.301.3436