FNC Notches its Highest-Rated August Primetime Delivery in Network History in Both Total Viewers and in the Younger 25-54 Demographic
“Hannity” Ranks as Number One Program in Cable News Across the Board, Delivering its Highest-Rated Month Ever in Total Viewers with “Tucker Carlson Tonight” Following Second
“The Five” Dominates all of CNN and MSNBC Daytime and Primetime Programming
NEW YORK – September 1, 2020 – FOX News Channel (FNC) closed out the summer as the top-rated network in all of primetime television, surpassing all broadcast and cable news networks in total viewers. FNC also marked the month with its highest-rated primetime delivery across total viewers and in the younger 25-54 advertiser-coveted demographic of any August on record. By far, FNC was the most-watched cable network in both total day and primetime total viewers (Persons 2+), notching 50 months in a row in the top spot across all of cable in total day. Additionally, the network scored its eighth consecutive month this year finishing number one in all of cable across primetime total viewers. Delivering increases of 32 percent in total day and 49 percent in primetime year-over-year, FNC also led all of cable in upscale viewers (income of 100K+) in both weekday total day and primetime among total viewers, the key 25-54 demographic and the 18-49 demographic. The network continued its number one standing in cable news in length of tune in across weekday primetime in the demo.
Notching 224 consecutive months as the most-watched cable news network in total day and primetime across total viewers, FNC continued to deliver a double-digit percent advantage over both MSNBC and CNN. In total day, FNC garnered nearly 1.8 million viewers, a 76 percent advantage over CNN in viewers and earned 314,000 in the key A25-54 demographic, while also surpassing CNN in various dayside demographics for the month (9AM-5PM, 9AM-4PM, and 10AM-6PM). In primetime, FNC saw 3.6 million viewers and 638,000 in the demo, widening its advantage over CNN by 116 percent. In August, the network claimed 70 of the top 100 cable telecasts in total viewers and delivered 12 telecasts with over 5 million total viewers this month. FNC also delivered the top two telecasts in all of cable for the month of August with special coverage of the Republican National Convention.
FNC’s primetime powerhouse lineup swept the top spots in cable news in both viewers and the demo. Ranking as the number one program in all of cable news among all categories, FNC’s Hannity (weekdays, 9PM/ET) garnered nearly 4.7 million viewers and 850,000 in the younger 25-54 demo. The program also delivered its highest-rated month in viewers since program inception and its second highest month in the demo. Tucker Carlson Tonight at 8PM/ET scored the second highest-rated program across the board with 4.4 million overall viewers and 794,000 with A25-54 as well as its second highest-rated month in viewers in history. Notably, both programs marked seven straight months of averaging over 4 million viewers overall and presentations of each edged out CBS’ Big Brother in total viewers. The Ingraham Angle crushed the 10PM/ET timeslot with 3.3 million viewers and 636,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing the competition in both categories and remaining the most-watched female cable news host this month. Additionally, FNC’s entire primetime lineup surpassed the NBA playoffs airing on ESPN and TNT. All are up double-digits year over year, with Hannity seeing increases of 44 percent overall and 64 percent with A25-54, Tucker Carlson Tonight up 41 percent with viewers and 59 percent with A25-54, and The Ingraham Angle experiencing a 24 percent increase overall and 35 percent with A25-54.
Bret Baier’s Special Report (weekdays, 6PM/ET) continued to deliver another strong month with 2.8 million viewers and 460,000 in the demo. At 5PM/ET, The Five remained the dominant program for the hour, earning primetime-like numbers and scoring 3.4 million viewers and 527,000 in the 25-54 demographic. The program also outpaced CNN’s Cuomo Prime Time and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show and Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell. At 7PM/ET, The Story with Martha MacCallum won its timeslot with total viewers, notching nearly 2.4 million viewers and 424,000 in the key 25-54 demo. In comparison, MSNBC’s heavily-promoted debut of The ReidOut received less than 2 million viewers and 317,000 in the A25-54 demo, declining double-digits in total viewers since launch week (down 15 percent).
Beginning the day, FOX & Friends FIRST (weekdays, 4-6AM/ET) was the number one show in its timeslot during each hour, garnering 613,000 viewers. FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (6-9AM/ET) crushed all of cable news in total viewers, delivering nearly 1.6 million viewers and 270,000 with A25-54, and topped all of CNN’s programming with the exception of primetime’s Cuomo Prime Time. The network’s three-hour morning news offering, America’s Newsroom (9AM-12PM/ET) saw 1.7 million viewers and 286,000 with A25-54.
FNC’s afternoon ensemble program Outnumbered (12PM/ET) averaged 1.9 million viewers and 307,000 in the demo, and at 1PM/ET, Outnumbered Overtime anchored by Harris Faulkner, averaged 1.8 million viewers and 313,000 in the 25-54 demo, beating ABC in total viewers for a record 46 weeks since 3Q’19. At 2PM/ET, The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino at 2PM/ET delivered 1.8 million viewers and 296,000 with A25-54, while FNC’s latest addition to the news lineup, Bill Hemmer Reports, averaged 1.7 million viewers and 286,000 in the demo during the 3PM/ET hour. Your World with Neil Cavuto delivered 1.8 million viewers and 294,000 with A25-54. In the evening, FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream garnered 1.8 million viewers and 386,000 in the key demo, outpacing MSNBC’s 11th Hour with Brian Williams in the A25-54 demo for the ninth consecutive month.
On the weekends, FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends, 6-10AM/ET) dominated CNN and MSNBC combined in total viewers, with over 1.4 million viewers and 238,000 in the 25-54 demo. Saturday’s primetime lineup of Watters’ World (Saturdays, 8PM/ET; 2.5 million viewers and 295,000 in the demo), Justice with Judge Jeanine (Saturdays, 9PM/ET; 2.6 million total viewers and 312,000 in the demo) and The Greg Gutfeld Show (Saturdays, 10PM/ET) also surpassed the competing networks combined across the board. Justice with Judge Jeanine dominated as the top program in viewers, while The Greg Gutfeld Show was also the most-watched late night program in all of television, surpassing CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NBC’s The Tonight Show, and ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! in total viewers with nearly 2.5 million viewers. The program also delivered the number one spot in the demo with 379,000 and was the number one cable news program during the weekends with the younger demographic, edging out every program on CNN. Additionally, America’s News HQ anchored by Eric Shawn and Arthel Neville earned nearly 1.3 million viewers and 203,000 A25-54.
Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo (Sundays, 10AM/ET) captured the number one spot in its timeslot and was the most-watched in the key demo, averaging 1.9 million viewers and 327,000 in the demo. MediaBuzz hosted by Howard Kurtz (Sundays, 11AM/ET) delivered 1.7 million viewers and 268,000 in the 25-54 category, propelling another win over CNN’s Reliable Sources in viewers and in the demo (1 million P2+ and 219,000 A25-54). Additionally, CAVUTO Live (1.6 million P2+; 280,000 A25-54), FOX Report with Jon Scott (1.4 million P2+; 210,000 A25-54) and The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton (2 million P2+; 294,000 A25-54), led the way in their respective timeslots, while Life, Liberty and Levin at 8PM/ET notched 2.2 million viewers and 266,000 with A25-54.
FNC was also a top destination for coverage of both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. During the Democratic National Convention (DNC), FNC beat broadcast networks NBC and CBS with total viewers in the four day average of the DNC, as well as CBS in the demo. Additionally FNC’s share of viewers during the DNC was higher than either CNN or MSNBC’s share during the Republican National Convention (RNC). Furthermore, the network’s RNC four-day average was the highest-rated primetime convention coverage in the history of cable news. FNC’s 10PM/ET Democracy 2020 special live coverage helmed by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum even outpaced America’s Got Talent (airing Tuesday and Wednesday on NBC) in viewers.
AUGUST 2020 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:
Total Viewers: Hannity (4,694,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (4,369,000), The Five (3,446,000), The Ingraham Angle (3,293,000), The Rachel Maddow Show (3,116,000)
Adults 25-54: Hannity (850,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (794,000), The Ingraham Angle (636,000), The Five (527,000), The Rachel Maddow Show (470,000)
AUGUST 2020 VS. AUGUST 2019 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,783,000 total viewers – up 32% (314,000 in 25-54 – up 35%)
CNN: 1,013,000 total viewers – up 47% (255,000 in 25-54 – up 52%)
MSNBC: 1,248,000 total viewers – up 44% (193,000 in 25-54 – up 52%)
PRIMETIME: 8-11PM/ET
FNC: 3,637,000 total viewers – up 49% (638,000 in 25-54 – up 70%)
CNN: 1,685,000 total viewers – up 15% (454,000 in 25-54 – up 16%)
MSNBC: 2,194,000 total viewers – up 48% (357,000 in 25-54 – up 61%)
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 all of cable, FNC has been the most watched television news channel for more than 18 consecutive years. According to a 2020 Brand Keys Media Trust report, FOX News ranked among the most trusted television news brands in the country. The research and analysis company also named FOX News as the top brand in the country for morning and evening news coverage in their 2020 Consumer Loyalty Engagement Index, while a 2019 Suffolk University poll found FOX News to be the most trusted source for television news or commentary. Owned by FOX Corp, FNC is available in nearly 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre.
