Fox News

Special Report with Bret Baier Ranks as the Top Program in Cable News

Network Notches Second Highest-Rated Month in Total Day Among Total Viewers

NEW YORK – April 28, 2020 – FOX News Channel (FNC) finished the month of April with the largest audience in network history in primetime and second highest rated in total day behind Apr’03 Iraq War coverage, according to Nielsen Media Research. Notably, among all of basic cable, FNC was also the most-watched cable network across both total day and primetime, marking 46 consecutive months in the top spot across all of cable in total day. The network also scored its highest-rated demo in total day since November 2016 with election coverage growing 84 percent in total day and 72 percent in primetime year-over-year.

Throughout total day and primetime, FNC marked 220 consecutive months as the top-rated cable news network in total viewers and continued to deliver a double-digit percent advantage over both MSNBC and CNN. In total day, FNC garnered 2.2 million viewers and 448,000 with A25-54, and the network holds at least a 64 percent advantage of the nearest competitor for total viewers. In primetime, FNC delivered 3.7 million viewers and 671,000 in the 25-54 demographic and widened its advantage over the competition by 81 percent.

FNC also claimed 12 of the top 15 cable news programs in total viewers, the top six programs in the A25-54 demo, as well as the five highest-rated programs in the A18-49 category during the month of April. Additionally, most of the network’s early evening and primetime programs notched their highest-rated months ever in both total viewers and the key demo, including Special Report with Bret Baier (weeknights, 6PM/ET), The Story with Martha MacCallum (weeknights, 7PM/ET), The Five (weeknights, 5PM/ET), Tucker Carlson Tonight (weeknights, 8PM/ET), as well as daytime programs Bill Hemmer Reports (weekdays, 3PM/ET), The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino (weekdays, 2PM/ET) and Outnumbered Overtime with Harris Faulkner (weekdays, 1PM/ET).

Ranking as the number one program in all of cable news among total viewers and the key demographic, anchor Bret Baier’s Special Report delivered the top-rated broadcast in both categories (5.3 million P2+ and 1.1 million A25-54), which included special coverage of the White House’s coronavirus task force briefings. Notably, the program topped broadcast morning shows and evening entertainment programs in total viewers including ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS’s Face The Nation, NBC’s Today Show and Ellen’s Game of Games, and ABC’s Shark Tank. At 5PM/ET, The Five dominated the hour with 4.7 million viewers and 879,000 in the 25-54 demo, coming in ahead of MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and besting CNN and MSNBC combined with total viewers in the timeslot. The Story with Martha MacCallum also saw a record month with 4.1 million total viewers and 929,000 in the key demo.

Kicking off FNC’s primetime lineup, Tucker Carlson Tonight at 8PM/ET notched 4.6 million viewers and 885,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing the competition combined with total viewers and securing its highest-rated month in both categories. Hannity (weeknights, 9PM/ET), came in second place with 4.4 million viewers and 809,000 in the younger demo, respectively and earned his second highest-rated month ever in total viewers and third highest-rated in the younger demographic. The Ingraham Angle crushed the 10PM/ET timeslot with 3.6 million viewers and 685,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing the competition in both categories and notching its second highest-rated month in total viewers and the demo.

Starting the day on FNC’s dayside programming, FOX & Friends FIRST (weekdays, 4-6AM/ET) was the number one show in its timeslot during each hour, garnering 703,000. FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (6-9AM/ET) ended the month as the highest-rated morning show in cable news with 1.7 million viewers and 332,000 in the demo. FNC’s three-hour morning news offering, America’s Newsroom, with co-anchors Sandra Smith and Ed Henry (9AM-12PM/ET) garnered 2.4 million viewers and 459,000 with A25-54.

FNC’s afternoon ensemble program, Outnumbered (12PM/ET), averaged 2.4 million viewers and 488,000 in the demo, and at 1PM/ET, Outnumbered Overtime anchored by Harris Faulkner, averaged 2.4 million viewers and 485,000 in the 25-54 demo, beating ABC’s GMA3 in total viewers a record 29 times since 3Q’19. At 2PM/ET, The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino delivered 2.4 million viewers and 492,000 with A25-54, while FNC’s latest addition to the news lineup, Bill Hemmer Reports, averaged 2.4 million viewers and 500,000 in the demo during the 3PM/ET hour. Your World with Neil Cavuto averaged 2.5 million viewers and 519,000 with A25-54. In the evening, FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream saw an audience of 2.1 million viewers and 460,000 in the key demo, outpacing MSNBC’s 11^th Hour with Brian Williams in the 25-54 demographic for the fifth consecutive month in both categories.

On the weekends, FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends, 6-10AM/ET) dominated CNN and MSNBC combined in total viewers, with 1.7 million P2+ and 287,000 in the demo. Saturday’s primetime powerhouse lineup of Watters World (Saturdays, 8PM/ET), Justice with Judge Jeanine (Saturdays at 9PM/ET) and The Greg Gutfeld Show (Saturdays,10PM/ET) surpassed CNN and MSNBC combined with P2+ and Justice with Judge Jeanine reached its highest-rated month since inception. The Greg Gutfeld Show was the most-watched late night program in all of television in total viewership with 2.9 million total viewers, topping all broadcast and cable comedy programs, including CBS’ Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NBC’s The Tonight Show and ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live. Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo (Sundays, 10AM/ET) averaged 2.3 million total viewers, MediaBuzz hosted by Howard Kurtz (Sundays, 11AM/ET) delivered 2.1 million viewers and 384,000 in the 25-54 demo, propelling a win over CNN’s Reliable Sources with P2+ (1.7 million P2+; 432,000 A25-54). Additionally, CAVUTO Live (2.1 million P2+; 397,000 A25-54), FOX Report with Jon Scott (2.3 million P2+; 441,000 A25-54) and The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton (1.9 million P2+; 316,000 A25-54), led in their respective timeslots, while Life, Liberty and Levin (2.3 million P2+; 345,000 A25-54) saw its second highest-rated month ever.

Viewers continue to choose FNC as their destination for special coverage of the White House coronavirus task force briefings. During coverage of the briefings between 5-8PM/ET, airings of The Five, Special Report with Baier and The Story dominated CNN and MSNBC combined in both total viewers and the younger demographic. Additionally, according to a recent Ipsos poll, a plurality of respondents stated that FOX News was their main source of news during the COVID-19 crisis.

APRIL 2020 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS: 

Total Viewers: Special Report with Bret Baier (5,264,000), The Five (4,694,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (4,555,000), Hannity (4,385,000), The Story (4,148,000)

Adults 25-54: Special Report with Bret Baier (1,080,000), The Story (929,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (885,000), The Five (879,000), Hannity (809,000)

APRIL’20 VS. APRIL’19 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):

TOTAL DAY

FNC: 2,237,000 total viewers – up 66% (448,000 in 25-54 – up 84%)

CNN: 1,360,000 total viewers – up 150% (395,000 in 25-54 – up 180%)

MSNBC: 1,284,000 total viewers – up 40% (216,000 in 25-54 – up 54%)

PRIMETIME: 8-11PM/ET

FNC: 3,681,000 total viewers – up 54% (671,000 in 25-54 – up 72%)

CNN: 1,948,000 total viewers – up 154% (580,000 in 25-54 – up 193%)

MSNBC: 2,038,000 total viewers – up 23% (336,000 in 25-54 – up 32%)

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 18 consecutive years.  According to a 2020 Brand Keys Consumer Loyalty Engagement Index report, FOX News is the top brand in the country for morning and evening news coverage. A 2019 Suffolk University poll named FOX News as the most trusted source for television news or commentary, while a 2019 Brand Keys Emotion Engagement Analysis survey found that FOX News was the most trusted cable news brand. A 2017 Gallup/Knight Foundation survey also found that among Americans who could name an objective news source, FOX News was the top-cited outlet. 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:

Tess Glancey/212-301-3285