Fox News

Hannity Tops Cable News in Both Total Viewers and Demo 

FNC Crushes Cable News Competition in Total Day and Primetime in Total Viewers for 190 Months in a Row 

During the month of October, FOX News Channel (FNC) dominated basic cable for the 16^th consecutive month in total day, delivering 1.5 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. Additionally, FNC averaged 2.3 million viewers in primetime, ranking second behind sports-dominated ESPN. FNC has also been the most-watched cable news network in total day and primetime with P2+ for 190 consecutive months.

Additionally, FNC continues to outpace CNN and MSNBC in total day and primetime with both P2+ and Adults 25-54 and is up in both categories versus October 2016, which included presidential debates.  In primetime, FNC averaged 2,258,000 beating CNN’s 919,000 and MSNBC’s 1,582,000 in total viewers. With Adults 25-54, FNC garnered 477,000 topping CNN’s 325,000 and MSNBC’s 349,000.  In total day, FNC averaged 1,451,000 in total viewers, dominating CNN’s 723,000 and MSNBC’s 899,000.  In the 25-54 demo, FNC averaged 322,000 and ranked ahead of CNN with 239,000 and MSNBC with 202,000. Additionally, FNC tops all of cable news in primetime and total day in the younger 18-49 demo, averaging 313,000 and 219,000 viewers, respectively.

Kicking off FNC’s daytime programming from 6-9AM/ET, FNC’s signature morning program FOX & Friends continues its pace to have its highest-rated year in network history, marking 192 months as the number one cable news program in its timeslot and averaging 1.6 million total viewers (up 19%) and 400,000 in A25-54 (up 31%).  At 9AM/ET, America’s Newsroom delivered 1.9 million viewers in P2+ (up 11%) and 401,000 in A25-54 (up 26%). FNC’s afternoon ensemble program at 12PM/ET, Outnumbered, garnered 1.8 million total viewers (up 10%) and 370,000 in the A25-54 demo (up 22%). FNC’s brand new programs, The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino and Outnumbered Overtime with Harris Faulkner, dominated the cable news competition. Outnumbered Overtime delivered 1.7 million viewers (up 15%) and 353,000 (up 19%) in A25-54 while The Daily Briefing averaged 1.6 million viewers (up 21%) and 336,000 (up 30%) in the A25-54 demo.  During the 3PM/ET hour, FNC’s Shepard Smith Reporting averaged 1.5 million viewers in P2+ (up 10%) and 316,000 in A25-54 (up 25%). Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4PM/ET delivered 1.7 million viewers in P2+ and averaged 340,000 in A25-54 (up 19%).

During FNC’s early evening and primetime programming, the The Five, back in its original timeslot at 5PM/ET garnered 2.3 million in total viewers and 443,000 in the A25-54 demo. Anchored by chief political anchor Bret Baier at 6PM/ET, Special Report averaged 2.3 million viewers with P2+ and 448,000 in A25-54. The Story with Martha MacCallum at 7PM/ET delivered 2.2 million in total viewers and 450,000 in A25-54. At 8PM/ET, Tucker Carlson Tonight garnered 2.8 million in total viewers and 581,000 in A25-54. Back in his original 9PM/ET timeslot, Hannity was the most-watched cable news program for the month of October, delivering 3.2 million in total viewers and 686,000 in A25-54. Marking the second highest-rated average ever in total viewers, the program was also up double-digits versus the same time last year (up 15% in total viewers and up 27% in the 25-54 demographic). In addition to topping their cable news competition in P2+ and A25-54, FNC programs also notched seven of the top 10 most-watched programs in the younger 18-49 category.

RATINGS FOR THE TOP 5 PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS FOR OCTOBER 2017: 

Total Viewers: Hannity (3,198,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (2,824,000), Rachel Maddow Show (2,503,000), Special Report With Bret Baier (2,339,000), The Five (2,308,000)

Adults 25-54: Hannity (686,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (581,000), Rachel Maddow Show (558,000), FOX News Tonight (468,000), The Story with Martha MacCallum (450,000)

OCTOBER 2017 VS. OCTOBER 2016 NIELSEN NUMBERS (7 day week, L+SD):

**Please note, October 2016 news coverage included 2016 presidential debates and the lead up to election day.

TOTAL DAY:

FNC: 1,451,000 total viewers – down 6% (322,000 in 25-54 – down 1%) (219,000 in 18-49)

CNN: 723,000 total viewers – down 29% (239,000 in 25-54 – down 28%) (183,000 in 18-49)

MSNBC: 899,000 total viewers – up 2% (202,000 in 25-54 – down 9%) (145,000 in 18-49)

PRIMETIME: 8-11PM/ET

 FNC: 2,258,000 total viewers – down 26% (477,000 in 25-54 – down 28%) (313,000 in 18-49)

CNN: 919,000 total viewers – down 52% (325,000 in 25-54 – down 54%) (250,000 in 18-49)

MSNBC: 1,582,000 total viewers – down 6% (349,000 in 25-54 – down 19%) (248,000 in 18-49)

FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service dedicated to delivering breaking news as well as political and business news.  A top five cable network, FNC has been the most-watched news channel in the country for more than 15 years and according to a Suffolk University/USA Today poll, is the most trusted television news source in the country. 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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