FNC’s New Primetime Lineup Finishes Month as the Highest-Rated in All of Cable, Delivers Double-Digit Growth in Both Categories
“The Five” Reigns Supreme as Most-Watched Program in Cable News Viewers, While “Hannity” Marks Highest Viewership Across Primetime
FOX News Media’s “Democracy 24: FOX News Republican Primary Debate” Scores Most-Watched in All of Television; Topping Broadcast and Drawing Highest Non-Sports Cable Telecast of 2023
FNC Notches 70 of the Top 100 Telecasts in Cable News for August
NEW YORK – August 29, 2023 – FOX News Channel (FNC) finished August 2023 as cable television’s most-watched network across both primetime and total day viewership and second in the 25-54 demo with total day behind ESPN, according to Nielsen Media Research. In terms of cable news, FNC marked 30 consecutive months defeating the competition in total day and primetime total viewers by double and triple-digits across the board. FNC also notched 70 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the month. In total day, FNC delivered 1.2 million viewers and 144,000 in the 25-54 demo. In primetime from 7-11PM/ET, FNC netted 1.9 million viewers and 226,000 in the 25-54 demo. The network secured the top three programs in cable news with viewers and the top four cable news shows in the 25-54 demo. Month over month, FNC posted double-digit growth in both primetime categories, posting a 22% increase in total viewers and a whopping 54% in the 25-54 demo.
On Wednesday, August 23rd FOX News Media’s Democracy 24: FOX News Republican Primary Debate moderated by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum was the most-watched telecast in all of linear television, digital and streaming, averaging 14,469,000 viewers and 3,120,000 in the 25-54 demo, including encore airings on FNC and FOX Business Network. Notably, the debate topped more than 70% of all presidential primary debates in the last two cycles (2016 and 2020), and was the highest-rated non-sports cable telecast of the year in total viewers, overtaking Paramount’s Yellowstone in both categories.
Attracting 44% of cable news viewers across primetime and 41% in total day, FNC continued to lead the genre’s audience share and increased in all categories versus June. According to Nielsen MRI-Simmons Fusion, FNC is the number one cable network with Democrats, Republicans and Independents with the 25-54 demo. Additionally, a recently published Politico/Ipsos poll of over 1000 registered voters found FNC to be the top news source in television. Among cable news networks, nearly half of respondents (47%) claim FNC as their main source of news, more than CNN (27%) and MSNBC (17%) combined.
FNC’s 5 PM/ET roundtable program The Five which has been number one in viewership for seven consecutive quarters, continued its streak with total viewers, securing 2,734,000 viewers and 287,000 with A25-54. Evening newscast Special Report with Bret Baier (weeknights, 6 PM/ET), which was recently named the most reliable program in cable news according to Ad Fontes, averaged 1,875,000 million viewers and 177,000 in the 25-54 demo.
FNC’s new weekday primetime lineup which debuted on Monday, July 17th beat the cable news competition across the board with viewers and the younger A25-54 demo in its premiere month. From 7-11 PM/ET, FNC averaged 2,264,000 viewers and 260,000 in A25-54, sweeping CNN and MSNBC in all categories, winning in total viewers and more than tripling CNN in overall viewership. Finishing the month as the highest-rated primetime lineup in all of cable, FNC is the only cable network to average over 2 million viewers in primetime. Notably, the new primetime lineup increased FNC’s share of the cable news audience versus the prior month from 43% to 45% in total viewers and from 35% to 41% with A25-54. The network’s new primetime lineup posted double digit increase over FNC’s average from April 24-July 14th, (+32% P2+) and (+59% A25-54), and also increased versus the week prior to launch posting +27% and +64% gains in viewers and A25-54, respectively. Compared to the June 2023 average, FNC’s primetime is also is up 26% in viewers and 47% in A25-54.
Kicking off the new lineup at 7 PM/ET, The Ingraham Angle garnered 1,945,000 viewers and 183,000 in the 25-54 demo. Following at 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime garnered 2,479,000 viewers and 243,000 with A25-54, making it the highest-rated program in primetime viewers and second overall behind only The Five. The program grew the timeslot nearly 50% versus the prior month and posted double and triple digit advantages over the competition on CNN and MSNBC.
FNC’s Hannity which remains at 9 PM/ET scored 2,388,000 viewers, 289,000 in the 25-54 demo, achieving the most-watched program in all the younger 25-54 demo, outpacing the competition on MSNBC and CNN with total viewers. Comparatively, CNN’s newly launched The Source with Kaitlan Collins averaged just 802,000 viewers and 174,000 with A25-54 at 9 PM/ET. Gutfeld! at 10 PM/ET delivered 1,955,000 viewers and 278,000 in A25-54, rounding out the three most-watched programs among primetime demo viewers. Wrapping up the night, FOX News @ Night, anchored by Trace Gallagher in it’s new 11 PM/ET timeslot delivered 1,064,000 viewers and 169,000 with A25-54.
From 5-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends First garnered 498,000 viewers and 87,000 with A25-54. FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) finished August with over 1,088,000 viewers and 142,000 in the demo, CNN This Morning averaged just 378,000 viewers and 74,000 with A25-54 in August. 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), delivered 1.4 million viewers and 153,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, also notched 1.4 million viewers and 169,000 in the 25-54 demo and bested CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 1.4 million viewers and 177,000 in the 25-54 demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1.2 million viewers and 137,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 PM/ET, anchor and executive editor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.2 million viewers and 134,000 in the 25-54 demo, while Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET nabbed 1.2 million viewers and 144,000 in the 25-54 category for the month. Notably, FNC’s Outnumbered, America’s Newsroom, The Faulkner Focus, all topped NBC Today Hoda & Jenna with viewers.
FNC continued to excel against the competition on weekends throughout the month, outpacing CNN and MSNBC yet again across total day and primetime with viewers and winning nearly every hour in total viewers. FOX & Friends Weekend (Saturdays, 6 AM/ET) was the most-watched of the day with over 1 million viewers, and 130,000 with A25-54. Following, Cavuto Live was the second most-watched cable news program on Saturday in both categories, also netting 1 million viewers and 126,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 8 PM/ET One Nation, helmed by Brian Kilmeade, garnered 981,000 viewers and 83,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC’s Lawrence Jones, the youngest Black solo primetime host in cable news, scored 827,000 viewers and 80,000 in the 25-54 demo at 10 PM/ET with Lawrence Jones Cross Country. Additionally, The FOX Report with Jon Scott (weekends, 6 PM/ET) averaged 845,000 viewers and 75,000 with A25-54. FNC’s newest addition of The Big Weekend Show at 7 PM/ET drew 905,000 viewers and 77,000 A25-54 while FNC’s FOX News Saturday Night brought in 734,000 total viewers and 72,000 in the 25-54 demo.
On Sundays, FNC’s Life, Liberty and Levin (Sundays, 8 PM/ET) earned the top-rated spot in total viewers the entire weekend, with 1.4 million viewers and 91,000 A25-54. At 10 AM/ET, Sunday Morning Futures hosted by Maria Bartiromo ranked first in the younger demo averaging 154,000 viewers with A25-54 and 1.4 million viewers. MediaBuzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz at 11 AM/ET, delivered 1 million viewers and 125,000 in the 25-54 demo. Meanwhile, FNC’s Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (Sundays, 9 PM/ET), delivered an audience of 1.2 million viewers and 76,000 A25-54. Additionally, FOX News Live scored 805,000 total viewers and 98,000 in the 25-54 demo.
AUGUST 2023 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:
Total Viewers: The Five (2,734,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (2,479,000), Hannity (2,388,000), The Last Word (2,036,000), Gutfeld! (1,955,000)
Adults 25-54: Hannity (289,000), The Five (287,000), Gutfeld! (278,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (243,000), The Last Word (211,000)
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.
