Fox News

FNC Completes Second Quarter as the Number One Network in all of Basic Cable in Primetime Television

FNC’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” “Hannity,” “The Five” and “The Ingraham Angle” Comprise Top Five Highest-Rated Programs for the Quarter

“Gutfeld!” Dominates Cable News, Outpaces Broadcast and Cable Late Night Programs During its First Full Quarter

NEW YORK – June 29, 2021 – FOX News Channel (FNC) completed the most recent quarter of 2021 as the most-watched cable news network, sweeping the competition in total day and primetime total viewers and in the key 25-54 demographic, reclaiming its lead in all categories, according to Nielsen Media Research. For the second quarter of 2021, FNC was the most-watched network in primetime in all of basic cable, notching 78 straight quarters as the leading cable news channel with total viewers and number one in all of basic cable for the sixth consecutive quarter. In total day, FNC garnered 1.2 million viewers, 204,000 with the A25-54 demographic and 120,000 with A18-49. In primetime, FNC delivered 2.2 million viewers, 347,000 in the 25-54 demo, and 216,000 with A18-49. FNC claimed five of the top six cable news programs in overall viewers, seven of the top eight in the key 25-54 demo and comprised 39 of the top 100 cable telecasts.

Notably, CNN’s viewership fell to new lows since the start of the year, notching its lowest-rated month in both categories in total day since July 2019, with 70 percent declines in both primetime and total day across the board as well as its lowest-rated primetime demo since August 2015. Of all news networks, CNN is down the most year to year, shedding more than half of its audience with both total day and primetime demo. Meanwhile, MSNBC lost over half its audience in all categories since January 2021 to date, as FNC remains the top-rated cable news network year-to-date in both total day and primetime total viewers.

At 8 PM/ET, Tucker Carlson Tonight completed the quarter as the top-rated program in its timeslot in all categories, averaging 2.9 million viewers and 487,000 in the demo, as well as 307,000 in the 18-49 category. Hannity at 9 PM/ET followed suit in both categories, averaging 2.7 million viewers for the quarter, 420,000 in the demo and 259,000 among adults 18-49, and surpassing MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show and CNN’s Cuomo Prime Time in both categories. The Ingraham Angle at 10 PM/ET garnered 2.1 million viewers, 361,000 in the 25-54 demo and 220,000 in 18-49 for the quarter, edging out MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show in the 25-54 demo for the full quarter. Additionally, the network’s primetime programs dominated several entertainment and sports programs on broadcast in total viewers during the second quarter, including NBC’s 3rd Hour of TODAY and The Master’s golf tournament airing on ESPN.

Host Greg Gutfeld’s new late night program Gutfeld! finished the quarter as the number one-rated show in cable news in total viewers at 11 PM/ET, surpassing every CNN program in total viewers as well as various broadcast and cable comedy shows. In Nielsen’s Live+3 measurement, Gutfeld! delivered wins against ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in total viewers. The program averaged 1.5 million viewers and 296,000 with A25-54 during the second quarter, topping The Tonight Show in total viewers in the Live+SD measurement. The show crushed Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, TBS’ Conan and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee across the board in total viewers and the younger 25-54 demo in both Live+SD and Live+3. Additionally, for the month of June, Gutfeld! outpaced ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live for the first full month since launch.

Among FNC’s early and late evening programming, The Five dominated the quarter during the 5 PM/ET hour with 2.6 million viewers and 385,000 in the 25-54 demo, besting every CNN and MSNBC program across the board. FNC’s primetime programming, as well as The Five, all surpassed ABC’s This Week and The View, NBC’s Meet The Press and the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs airing on ESPN in overall viewers. Special Report with Bret Baier was number one in its timeslot (weeknights, 6 PM/ET) among total viewers for the quarter, garnering 1.8 million viewers and 276,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 7 PM/ET, FOX News Primetime, guest-hosted by various rotating hosts, averaged 1.6 million viewers, 262,000 in the 25-54 demo throughout the quarter. At 12 AM/ET, FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream had an average audience of 860,000 viewers and 183,000 in the 25-54 demo for the quarter.

From 4-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends FIRST garnered 437,000 viewers. FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) marked the quarter with 1.2 million viewers and 216,000 in the demo, easily outpacing CNN’s New Day and MSNBC’s Morning Joe across both categories. CNN’s sixth relaunch attempt of New Day, with newly-minted co-host Brianna Keilar, delivered its lowest-rated quarter since 2019, averaging less than 500,000 viewers (484,000 P2+; 116,000 A25-54) and notching double-digit losses across the board (versus the first quarter of 2021).

FNC’s daytime lineup, kicking off with two-hour morning news program America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET), saw 1.4 million viewers and 231,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 1.3 million viewers and 212,000 in the 25-54 demo and bested CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 1.4 million viewers and 216,000 in the demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1.2 million viewers and 196,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 PM/ET, anchor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.1 million viewers and 185,000 in the 25-54 demo, while Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET nabbed 1.2 million viewers and 200,000 in the 25-54 category for the quarter.

On the weekends, Saturday’s primetime powerhouse lineup swept their respective timeslots and earned the top three highest-rated programs, beating the cable news competition combined in total viewers for the quarter. FNC’s newest addition to the Saturday primetime lineup, Unfiltered with Dan Bongino (Saturdays at 10 PM/ET), crushed its cable news competitors, besting CNN and MSNBC combined in total viewers. The program delivered 1.6 million viewers and 264,000 with A25-54. Watters’ World (Saturdays at 8 PM/ET) earned the number one program in total viewers, with 1.7 million and 210,000 in the demo. Justice with Judge Jeanine (Saturdays at 9 PM/ET) followed as the next most-watched, also with 1.7 million viewers and 210,000 in the demo. CAVUTO Live airing on Saturday mornings earned 1.1 million viewers and 175,000 with A25-54.

On Sundays, FNC’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo (Sundays at 10 AM/ET) earned the top-rated spot in both total viewers and the coveted 25-54 category during the second quarter, with 1.5 million viewers and 239,000 in the demo. MediaBuzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz at 11 AM/ET, delivered 1.2 million viewers and 197,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing CNN’s Reliable Sources across the board for the quarter. Notably, the CNN program averaged only 846,000 viewers and 156,000 with A25-54, down 39 percent and 48 percent respectively versus the first quarter. In June, Reliable Sources plummeted to its lowest-rated month of the year, shedding over half its audience in both categories since the start of the calendar year. FNC’s newest program on Sunday evenings, Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (Sundays at 7 PM/ET), demolished every CNN and MSNBC program in total viewers, drawing an audience of 1.2 million viewers and 150,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 8 PM/ET, Life Liberty and Levin earned 1.5 million viewers and 168,000 in the demo, while The Next Revolution with host Steve Hilton (Sundays at 9 PM/ET) secured 1.2 million viewers and 170,000 in the demo. FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends from 6-10 AM/ET) dominated CNN and MSNBC every hour in total viewers during the quarter, with 1.1 million viewers and 208,000 in the demo. Additionally, FOX Report with Jon Scott (846,000 viewers; 118,000 A25-54) surpassed the cable news competition in its time slot.

SECOND QUARTER 2021 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:

Total Viewers: Tucker Carlson Tonight (2,924,000), Hannity (2,653,000), The Five (2,632,000), The Rachel Maddow Show (2,504,000), The Ingraham Angle (2,071,000)

Adults 25-54: Tucker Carlson Tonight (487,000), Hannity (420,000), The Five (385,000), The Ingraham Angle (361,000), The Rachel Maddow Show (349,000)

2Q’21 VS. 2Q’20 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):

TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,190,000 total viewers – down 39% (204,000 in 25-54 – down 44%)
CNN: 654,000 total viewers – down 45% (160,000 in 25-54 – down 52%)
MSNBC: 847,000 total viewers – down 30% (115,000 in 25-54 – down 41%)

PRIMETIME
FNC: 2,176,000 total viewers – down 39% (347,000 in 25-54 – down 44%)
CNN: 914,000 total viewers – down 49% (224,000 in 25-54 – down 58%)
MSNBC: 1,463,000 total viewers – down 27% (198,000 in 25-54 – down 37%)

JUNE 2021 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS: 

Total Viewers: Tucker Carlson Tonight (2,808,000), Hannity (2,586,000), The Five (2,530,000), The Rachel Maddow Show (2,270,000), The Ingraham Angle (2,093,000)

Adults 25-54: Tucker Carlson Tonight (463,000), Hannity (389,000), The Five (357,000), The Ingraham Angle (349,000), The Rachel Maddow Show (289,000)

JUNE 2021 VS. JUNE 2020 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):

TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,172,000 total viewers – down 35% (195,000 in 25-54 – down 42%)
CNN: 580,000 total viewers – down 49% (133,000 in 25-54 – down 59%)
MSNBC: 763,000 total viewers – down 37% (99,000 in 25-54 – down 48%)

PRIMETIME
FNC: 2,128,000 total viewers – down 42% (329,000 in 25-54 – down 50%)
CNN: 798,000 total viewers – down 57% (179,000 in 25-54 – down 68%)
MSNBC: 1,308,000 total viewers – down 36% (166,000 in 25-54 – down 48%)

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 19 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 also 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. Owned by FOX Corp, FNC is available in 80 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre.

###

FOX News Media Contact:

Tess Glancey/212-301-3285