FOX NEWS CHANNEL REMAINS DOMINANT FOR 87 CONSECUTIVE QUARTERS IN PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP
“The Five” Makes History as Top Non-Prime Program in Cable News for Eight Consecutive Quarters
FNC Is Leading Network in All of Cable in Total Day and Primetime Viewership for 3Q’23; Sweeps September in Viewership for Total Day
CNN Posts Lowest Total Day and Primetime A25-54 in Recorded History
FNC Continues to Garner Cable News’ Most Politically Diverse Audience with More Democrats and Independents Tuning into FNC Than CNN and MSNBC
FNC Notches 82 of the Top 100 Telecasts in Cable News for the Quarter
NEW YORK – September 26, 2023 – FOX News Channel (FNC) finished the third quarter of 2023 as cable’s most-watched network in total day and primetime, according to Nielsen Media Research. FNC beat CNN and MSNBC with total day and primetime across the board for the 10th consecutive quarter and has dominated primetime viewers in cable news for 87 consecutive quarters. In total day, FNC delivered 1,100,000 viewers, 132,000 with A25-54 and 80,000 with A18-49. In primetime, FNC netted 1,748,000 viewers, 192,000 in the 25-54 demo, and 121,000 with A18-49. FNC’s share of the cable news audience was 43% across total day and 45% prime viewers as more Democrats and Independents tuned in to FNC over any other network, according to data from Nielsen MRI Fusion. Notably, FNC was the only news network to post gains across the board in primetime versus the prior quarter. Additionally, CNN averaged just 119,000 in primetime with A25-54 and 88,000 with A25-54 in total day, both of which are lows in recorded history.
During the third quarter of 2023, FNC delivered 82 of the top 100 telecasts in cable news for the entire quarter. During the month of September, FNC was number one in all of cable in total day and number two in primetime viewership behind ESPN and beat CNN and MSNBC across the board with double and triple advantages. Additionally, FNC marked 31 consecutive months as number one in cable news in total day and primetime viewership.
At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s powerhouse The Five continued to shatter records by becoming the first non-primetime program ever to top all of cable news for eight consecutive quarters. Averaging 2.7 million viewers and 273,000 in A25-54, the show also outpaced every show on CNN and MSNBC across the board. Special Report with Bret Baier (weeknights, 6 PM/ET) averaged 1.8 million viewers and 173,000 in A25-54, dominating its timeslot.
FNC’s new primetime lineup, which debuted this quarter continued its dominance, sweeping cable news every hour. At 7 PM/ET, FNC’s The Ingraham Angle finished the quarter averaging 1.9 million viewers and 181,000 in A25-54 and remains the most-watched female in cable news. Following at 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime delivered 2.4 million viewers and 231,000 in the 25-54 demo, crushing the timeslot and growing the hour 13 percent with total viewers quarter-over-quarter as the highest rated show in primetime cable news.
FNC’s Hannity at 9 PM/ET remained dominant, nabbing 2.2 million viewers and 241,000 in A25-54, easily winning the 9pm timeslot and topping CNN and MSNBC in viewership. Gutfeld! garnered 1.9 million viewers and led primetime in the younger demo, nabbing 267,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night surpassed the competition, delivering 986,000 viewers and 149,000 in A25-54.
From 5-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends FIRST netted 474,000 viewers while FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) finished the quarter with over 1 million viewers and 138,000 in the demo, outpacing CNN This Morning and MSNBC’s Morning Joe across the board and has remained the number one cable news program in the mornings with both categories for more than two straight years.
FNC’s daytime lineup, led by 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 154,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 1.3 million viewers and 165,000 in the 25-54 demo and bested CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 1.4 million viewers and 175,000 in the demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1.2 million viewers and 140,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 PM/ET, anchor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.2 million viewers and 133,000 in the 25-54 demo, while Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET also nabbed 1.2 million viewers and 136,000 in the 25-54 category for the quarter. Notably, FNC’s Outnumbered, surpassed NBC’s Today with Hoda and Jenna and NBC News Daily in total viewers.
FNC also continued to excel against the competition throughout the weekend for the quarter, outpacing CNN and MSNBC across both total day and primetime with viewers. FOX & Friends Weekend (Saturdays, 10 AM/ET) was the most-watched program on Saturday, earning 1,035,000 viewers and 139,000 with A25-54. Cavuto Live (1,025,000 P2+; 139,000 A25-54) had the second highest-rated program in viewers and the younger demo on Saturdays while One Nation with Brian Kilmeade at 9 PM nabbed 875,000 viewers and Life Liberty & Levin’s two episodes that aired on Saturday in 3Q attracted 935,000 viewers.
On Sundays, FNC’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo earned the top-rated show in viewers and the younger demo, garnering 1.4 million viewers and 151,000 with A25-54 while FOX & Friends Weekend on Sundays outdrew CNN and MSNBC every hour in total viewers and the 25-54 demo during the quarter, with nearly 1 million viewers and 132,000 in the demo. FNC’s Life, Liberty & Levin (Sundays, 8 PM/ET) also outpaced every CNN program with viewers, drawing the second largest audience in overall viewership with 1.3 million viewers. At 11 AM/ET, MediaBuzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz, delivered over 1 million viewers and 118,000 in the 25-54 demo while Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy garnered 1.1 million viewers.
3Q’23 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,100,000 total viewers (132,000 in 25-54)
CNN: 471,000 total viewers (88,000 in 25-54)
MSNBC: 813,000 total viewers (88,000 in 25-54)
PRIMETIME
FNC: 1,748,000 total (192,000 in 25-54)
CNN: 596,000 total viewers (119,000 in 25-54)
MSNBC: 1,285,000 total viewers (129,000 in 25-54)
SEPTEMBER 2023 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,072,000 total viewers (131,000 in 25-54)
CNN: 457,000 total viewers (85,000 in 25-54)
MSNBC: 792,000 total viewers (84,000 in 25-54)
PRIMETIME
FNC: 1,688,000 total viewers (187,000 in 25-54)
CNN: 548,000 total viewers (109,000 in 25-54)
MSNBC: 1,218,000 total viewers (116,000 in 25-54)
FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service and has been the number one network in basic cable for the last six years and the most-watched television news channel for more than 21 consecutive years, currently attracting nearly 50% of the cable news viewing audience according to Nielsen Media Research. Notably, Nielsen/MRI Fusion has consistently shown FNC to be the network of choice for more Democrat and Independent viewers, with the most politically diverse audience in cable news. Owned by Fox Corporation, FNC is available in nearly 80 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top 10 programs in the genre.
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FOX News Media Contact:
Alexandra Coscia: 212.301.3272 or alexandra.coscia@fox.com