FOX NEWS CHANNEL DOMINATES ALL OF BASIC CABLE IN TOTAL DAY VIEWERS FOR 38TH CONSECUTIVE MONTH AND PRIMETIME FOR THIRD MONTH

Published August 27, 2019

FNC Continues Reign as Number One in Cable News Across Total Day and Primetime Viewers for 212th Month, Crushing CNN and MSNBC with Every Weekday Program in the Demo

Year to-date, FOX News Ranks Number One in All Key Ad Performance Metrics Including Likeability and Ad, Brand and Message Recall

August Marks Second Month in a Row Hannity, Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Ingraham Angle and The Five Notch the Top Four Cable News Programs in Both Categories; MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Cemented in Fifth Place

NEW YORK – August 27, 2019 – FOX News Channel (FNC) continued to dominate all of basic cable during the month of August as the most-watched network in total day for 38 consecutive months, according to Nielsen Media Research. As the top cable news network for the 212th month in a row, FNC garnered 1.4 million viewers in total day and 2.5 million viewers in primetime. In the 25-54 demo, August marked MSNBC’s lowest- rated primetime (tied with prior month) and third lowest-rated total day since President Trump took office.

In a study measured by Phoenix TV Brand Effect, FOX News ranks number one in all key ad performance metrics for 2019 to-date, including likeability and ad, brand and message recall. FOX News viewers are more engaged than other networks, including HGTV and ESPN.

For the month of August, FNC programs Hannity, Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Ingraham Angle and The Five made up four of the top five cable news programs across the board, cementing MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show into fifth place for the second month in a row.

Throughout total day and primetime, FNC continued to beat CNN and MSNBC in total viewers. FNC averaged 1,356,000 viewers in total day, trouncing CNN’s 690,000 and MSNBC’s 870,000.  In total day demo, FNC averaged 234,000 ranking ahead of CNN with 169,000 and MSNBC with 128,000 viewers. In primetime, FNC secured 2,448,000 beating CNN’s 1,468,000 and MSNBC’s 1,482,000 viewers. With Adults 25-54, FNC garnered 375,000, topping MSNBC’s 222,000 and beating CNN, excluding the Democratic Debates.

Kicking off FNC’s daytime programming, the 4AM/ET hour of FOX & Friends First garnered 480,000 viewers and 110,000 with A25-54. The 5AM/ET hour of FOX & Friends First had a total of 659,000 viewers and 158,000 in the demo. Continuing to make cable news history, FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends marked 214 months as the number one cable news program in its timeslot, with an average of 1.5 million viewers and 284,000 in the demo, while CNN’s New Day only secured 456,000 viewers and 108,000 in A25-54. At 9AM/ET, America’s Newsroom delivered 1.5 million viewers and 234,000 with A25-54. FNC’s 12PM/ET afternoon ensemble program, Outnumbered garnered 1.5 million viewers and 238,000 in the 25-54 category.

Outnumbered Overtime anchored by Harris Faulkner delivered 1.3 million viewers and 209,000 with A25-54, repeatedly beating ABC News’ Strahan and Sara in total viewers. Most notably, August 21st marked the first time ever that Faulkner topped the broadcast show in both categories with a 26 percent advantage in total viewers and notching 271,000 in the demo vs. ABC’s 270,000.

In the 2PM/ET hour, The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino averaged 1.3 million viewers and 200,000 in the 25-54 demo, while the 3PM/ET hour with Shepard Smith Reporting averaged 1.2 million viewers and 192,000 with A25-54. Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4PM/ET delivered 1.3 million viewers and 216,000 in the 25-54 demo, beating MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace and CNN’s Jake Tapper which marks a seventh month winning streak over both networks.

During FNC’s early evening and primetime programming, The Five continued to dominate its timeslot in all of cable. The show garnered 2.5 million viewers and 390,000 in the demo, beating CNN and MSNBC combined in both categories for the fifth consecutive month. Anchored by chief political anchor Bret Baier at 6PM/ET, Special Report averaged 2.1 million viewers and 333,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Story with Martha MacCallum at 7PM/ET delivered 1.9 million viewers and 325,000 with A25-54.

At 8PM/ET, Tucker Carlson Tonight delivered 3.1 million viewers and 500,000 in the 25-54 category, ranking the number two cable news program across the board for the month and also topping CNN and MSNBC combined in both total viewers and demo. Hannity at 9PM/ET continued as the most-watched cable news program in both categories for the fifth month in a row with 3.3 million viewers and 519,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle, hosted by Laura Ingraham, averaged 2.6 million viewers and 431,000 in the 25-54 demo and ranking third in all of cable news in both categories.  FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream garnered 1.4 million viewers and 268,000 in the key 25-54 demo, beating MSNBC’s The 11th Hour with Brian Williams for the sixth month in a row in the demo.

During the weekends, FNC’s late-night comedy program The Greg Gutfeld Show on Saturdays at 10PM/ET delivered 1,710,000 viewers and 228,000 in the demo. Additionally, Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo garnered 1,468,000 viewers and 252,000 in the demo on Sundays at 10AM/ET, beating cable news competition in both categories. MediaBuzz hosted by Howie Kurtz was up double digits versus July in both categories securing 1,347,000 viewers and 249,000 in the 25-54 demo, easily besting CNN’s Reliable Sources (806,000 in P2+; 201,000 in 25-54). The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton averaged 1,347,000 viewers and 185,000 in the demo, beating CNN and MSNBC in the 9PM/ET timeslot.

RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS FOR AUGUST 2019:

Total Viewers: Hannity (3,269,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (3,107,000), The Ingraham Angle (2,611,000), The Five (2,454,000), Rachel Maddow Show (2,327,000)

Adults 25-54: Hannity (519,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (500,000), The Ingraham Angle (431,000), The Five (390,000), Rachel Maddow Show (361,000)

AUGUST 2019 VS. AUGUST 2018 NIELSEN NUMBERS (7-day week, L+SD):

TOTAL DAY:

FNC: 1,356,000 total viewers – up 5% (234,000 in 25-54 – down 7%)

CNN: 690,000 total viewers – down 2% (169,000 in 25-54 – down 19%)

MSNBC: 870,000 total viewers – down 16% (128,000 in 25-54 – down 34%)

PRIMETIME: 8-11PM/ET

FNC: 2,448,0000 total viewers – up 6% (375,000 in 25-54 – down 11%)

CNN: 1,468,000 total viewers – up 40% (391,000 in 25-54 – up 13%)

MSNBC: 1,482,000 total viewers – down 20% (222,000 in 25-54 – down 35%)

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 is a unit of FOX News Media and has been the most watched television news channel for 17 consecutive years.  According to a 2019 Suffolk University poll, FOX News is the most trusted source for television news or commentary in the country, while a 2019 Brand Keys Emotion Engagement Brand Analysis survey found that FOX News was the most trusted cable news brand. Owned by FOX Corporation, FNC is available in nearly 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:

Katie Cwayna/212.301.3285

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