“The Five” Makes History as Top Non-Prime Program in Cable News for Seven Consecutive Quarters
FNC Is Leading Network in All of Cable in Total Day Viewership for 2Q’23; Sweeps June in Viewership for Total Day and Primetime
FNC Continues to Garner Cable News’ Most Politically Diverse Audience with More Democrats and Independents Tuning into FNC Than CNN and MSNBC
FNC Notches 91 of the Top 100 Telecasts in Cable News for the Quarter
NEW YORK – June 27, 2023 – FOX News Channel (FNC) finished the second quarter of 2023 as cable’s most-watched network in total day viewers and second in primetime, only behind NBA-driven TNT, according to Nielsen Media Research. FNC beat CNN and MSNBC with total day and primetime across the board for the ninth consecutive quarter and has dominated primetime viewers in cable news for 86 consecutive quarters. In total day, FNC delivered 1,164,000 viewers, 140,000 with A25-54 and 84,000 with A18-49. In primetime, FNC netted 1,691,000 viewers, 179,000 in the 25-54 demo, and 115,000 with A18-49. FNC’s share of the cable news audience was 45% across total day and prime viewers as more Democrats and Independents tuned in to FNC over any other network, according to data from Nielsen MRI Fusion.
During the second quarter of 2023, FNC delivered the top seven programs in cable news in total viewers and the top eight programs in the younger 25-54 demo. In addition, FNC delivered 91 of the top 100 telecasts in cable news for the entire quarter. During the month of June, FNC was number one in all of cable in total day and primetime viewership and beat CNN and MSNBC across the board. Additionally, FNC posted double-digit growth from May’23 to June’23 in the primetime 25-54 demo and marked 29 consecutive months as number one in primetime viewership.
At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s powerhouse The Five continued to shatter records by becoming the first non-primetime program to top all of cable news for seven consecutive quarters in history. Averaging 2.8 million viewers and 299,000 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 nearly 2 million viewers and 211,000 in A25-54, dominating its timeslot. At 7 PM/ET, FNC’s Jesse Watters Primetime finished the quarter as the second highest-rated cable news program, averaging 2.3 million viewers and 225,000 in A25-54. Notably, Watters has been the highest-rated program in its timeslot since launching 18 months ago and beat CNN’s Erin Burnett Outfront and MSNBC’s The ReidOut combined in total viewership. At 12 AM/ET, FOX News @ Night surpassed the competition, delivering 882,000 viewers and 139,000 in A25-54.
FNC’s Hannity at 9 PM/ET led primetime, nabbing 2.2 million viewers, 238,000 in A25-54, easily winning its timeslot and topping CNN and MSNBC combined in viewership. The Ingraham Angle host Laura Ingraham remained the most-watched woman in cable news at 10 PM/ET, garnering 1.8 million viewers and 213,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 8 PM/ET, the network averaged 2.1 million viewers and 242,000 in the demo for the quarter besting CNN and MSNBC during the hour in both categories.
At 11 PM/ET, Gutfeld! continued to outpace a number of the late-night broadcast competition for the quarter, securing over 1.7 million viewers and 246,000 with A25-54. As host Greg Gutfeld marked his second year in late night television (April 5th), his eponymous program has been number one in his timeslot for 27-straight months. As the writers’ strike continues, Gutfeld! remains the most-watched late night show in television. Since the writers’ strike began, Gutfeld! has seen an increase in viewers and the younger A25-54 demo.
From 4-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends FIRST (now 5-6 AM/ET) netted 443,000 viewers. FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) finished the quarter with 1.1 million viewers and 145,000 in the demo, outpacing CNN This Morning and MSNBC’s Morning Joe across the board. FNC’s FOX & Friends made its mark as the number one cable news program in the mornings with both categories for more than two years as CNN This Morning continued to fail to attract viewers.
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 164,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 1.4 million viewers and 173,000 in the 25-54 demo and bested CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 1.5 million viewers and 182,000 in the demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1.3 million viewers and 153,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 PM/ET, anchor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.3 million viewers and 150,000 in the 25-54 demo, while Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET also nabbed 1.3 million viewers and 154,000 in the 25-54 category for the quarter. Notably, FNC’s Outnumbered, surpassed ABC’s GMA3 and CBS’s The Talk in total viewers.
Once again, FNC continued to excel against the competition throughout the weekend for the quarter, outpacing CNN and MSNBC across both total day and primetime with viewers. Cavuto Live (Saturdays, 10 AM/ET) was the most-watched program on Saturday, earning 1.1 million viewers and 142,000 with A25-54. In the 25-54 demo, the Saturday edition of FOX & Friends Weekend earned the top spot in the 25-54 demo with 150,000 demo viewers and over 1 million total viewers. FNC’s Saturday primetime lineup, One Nation helmed by Brian Kilmeade, nabbed 932,000 viewers and 87,000 in the 25-54 demo. Lawrence Jones Cross Country (Saturdays, 9 PM/ET) hosted by Lawrence Jones, who made history as the youngest Black solo host of a program in cable news, continued to dominate his timeslot with 897,000 viewers and 86,000 in the demo.
On Sundays, FNC’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo earned the top-rated show in the younger demo, garnering 1.4 million viewers and 145,000 with A25-54. FNC’s Life, Liberty & Levin (Sundays, 8 PM/ET) outpaced every CNN program with viewers, drawing the top spot in overall viewership with 1.5 million viewers and 98,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 11 AM/ET, MediaBuzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz, delivered over 1 million viewers and 121,000 in the 25-54 demo. Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy saw 1.2 million viewers and 80,000 in the demo. Notably, 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 133,000 in the demo.
2Q’23 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,164,000 total viewers (140,000 in 25-54)
CNN: 463,000 total viewers (95,000 in 25-54)
MSNBC: 796,000 total viewers (95,000 in 25-54)
PRIMETIME
FNC: 1,691,000 total (179,000 in 25-54)
CNN: 573,000 total viewers (126,000 in 25-54)
MSNBC: 1,270,000 total viewers (139,000 in 25-54)
JUNE 2023 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,087,000 total viewers (128,000 in 25-54)
CNN: 492,000 total viewers (100,000 in 25-54)
MSNBC: 831,000 total viewers (97,000 in 25-54)
PRIMETIME
FNC: 1,490,000 total viewers (148,000 in 25-54)
CNN: 635,000 total viewers (129,000 in 25-54)
MSNBC: 1,316,000 total viewers (144,000 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 seven 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. Additionally, a 2021 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report stated FOX News leads the news industry in both brand loyalty, engagement, and expectations while a 2022 Brand Keys poll showed FNC dominating morning and evening news in customer loyalty engagement. Owned by Fox Corporation, FNC is available in nearly 80 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top 10 programs.
