“The Five” Continues to Smash Records as the Only Non-Primetime Program in History to Finish Four Consecutive Quarters at Number One; “Tucker Carlson Tonight” Remains Most-Watched in A25-54 Demo
FNC Notches 94 of the Top 100 Telecasts in Cable News for the Quarter
“Gutfeld!” Scores Highest-Rated Quarter Since Launch, Tops All of Late-Night for Second Consecutive Month
FNC’s “Hannity” Crushes the 9 PM/ET Timeslot; Outdrawing MSNBC’s Newest Program “Alex Wagner Tonight” by Double-Digits
NEW YORK – September 27, 2022 – FOX News Channel (FNC) finished the third quarter of 2022 as cable’s most-watched network in primetime and total day viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. Marking 83 consecutive quarters as the highest-rated cable news channel in primetime, FNC also outpaced CNN and MSNBC combined in total day and primetime with total viewers, and easily surpassed both networks in the 25-54 and 18-49 demos for the quarter. FNC also ranked number one in all of basic cable in total day viewers for the sixth quarter in a row, winning every single weekday hour with double and triple-digit percent advantages while delivering 94 of the top 100 telecasts in cable news. In total day, FNC delivered 1.4 million viewers, 201,000 with the A25-54 demographic and 122,000 with A18-49. In primetime, FNC netted 2.2 million viewers, 294,000 in the 25-54 demo, and 180,000 with A18-49. Additionally, FNC’s cable news audience share increased to over 50% across all key dayparts and categories as more Democrats and Independents tuned in to FNC over any other network, according to data from Nielsen MRI Fusion.
During the third quarter of 2022, FNC delivered the top seven programs in cable news in total viewers and the top 15 programs in the younger 25-54 demo. FNC continued to serve as the go-to destination for breaking news coverage, earning triple-digit advantages over CNN and MSNBC across the board for stories including the ongoing war in Ukraine, the passing of Queen Elizabeth, the FBI raid of former President Donald Trump’s home, among others.
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 four consecutive quarters in cable news history, averaging 3.3 million viewers and 418,000 in A25-54, outpacing every show on CNN and MSNBC across the board. Additionally, The Five beat ABC’s The Bachelorette in total viewers. Special Report with Bret Baier (weeknights, 6 PM/ET) averaged 2.3 million viewers and 304,000 in A25-54, dominating its timeslot. At 7 PM/ET, FNC’s newly launched Jesse Watters Primetime finished the quarter as the third highest-rated cable news program, averaging 2.7 million viewers and 342,000 in A25-54, solidifying the third quarter as the fastest-growing program in cable news. At 12 AM/ET, FOX News @ Night surpassed the competition, delivering 1.1 million viewers and 197,000 in A25-54.
At 8 PM/ET, Tucker Carlson Tonight continued its reign as the highest-rated program in cable news in the younger 25-54 demo, averaging 3.2 million viewers and 468,000 in the demo, as well as 295,000 in the 18-49 category for the quarter. Hannity at 9 PM/ET averaged 2.7 million viewers, 358,000 in A25-54 and 210,000 among adults 18-49, topping MSNBC’s newly-launched program Alex Wagner Tonight by double and triple-digit advantages. MSNBC’s Alex Wagner Tonight delivered the largest declines, losing 29% in total viewers and nearly 50% with the 25-54 demo. In the same hour, Hannity attracted 70% more total viewers on average, and 144% with the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle host Laura Ingraham remained the most-watched female in cable news at 10 PM/ET, garnering 2.2 million viewers, 318,000 in the 25-54 demo and 189,000 in 18-49.
Gutfeld! delivered its highest-rated quarter in program history as host Greg Gutfeld continued as the second most-watched late night host in all of broadcast and cable news. At 11 PM/ET, the program kicked off the fall season as the number one late night show in television, surpassing all broadcast and cable competition, including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert for August and September. Gutfeld! posted double-digit percent growth since the same quarter last year in total viewers and was up with A25-54 averaging 2.1 million viewers and 339,000 with A25-54 this quarter, outpacing ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! And NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in total viewers. Gutfeld! also topped every program on CNN and MSNBC in total viewers and the younger 25-54 demo. FNC’s late night show also bested Comedy Central’s The Daily Show across the board in total viewers and the younger 25-54 demo. Additionally, Gutfeld! Has the highest median income in all of late night television (ABC, CBS and NBC) in the younger 25-54 demo as well as the most upscale audience in total viewers and A25-54.
From 4-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends FIRST garnered 525,000 viewers. FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) finished the quarter with 1.3 million viewers and 206,000 in the demo, easily outpacing CNN’s New Day and MSNBC’s Morning Joe combined across both categories and routinely topping all daytime and primetime programming on CNN and MSNBC. FNC’s FOX & Friends made its mark as the number one cable news program in the mornings with both categories for the 18th consecutive month as CNN’s New Day continued to fail to attract viewers.
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), saw 1.6 million viewers and 222,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 1.7 million viewers and 215,000 in the 25-54 demo and bested CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 1.8 million viewers and 241,000 in the demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1.5 million viewers and 206,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 PM/ET, anchor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.5 million viewers and 207,000 in the 25-54 demo, while Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET nabbed 1.5 million viewers and 202,000 in the 25-54 category for the quarter. Notably, FNC’s Outnumbered, The Faulkner Focus and America’s Newsroom surpassed ABC’s GMA3, CBS’s The Talk and NBC’s TODAY with Hoda & Jenna in total viewers.
Once again, FNC continued to excel against the competition throughout the weekend for the quarter, outpacing CNN and MSNBC combined across both dayparts and in total viewers. Unfiltered with Dan Bongino (Saturdays, 9 PM/ET) was the most-watched program in total viewers for the quarter on Saturday, earning 1.3 million viewers and 153,000 with A25-54. In the 25-54 demo, the Saturday edition of FNC’s signature franchise FOX & Friends earned the top spot with 191,000 demo viewers for FOX & Friends Weekend. FNC’s 8 PM/ET addition to the Saturday primetime lineup, One Nation helmed by Brian Kilmeade, nabbed 1.1 million and 112,000 in the 25-54 demo. Lawrence Jones, who made history earlier this year becoming the youngest Black solo host of a program in cable news with the addition of Lawrence Jones Cross Country (Saturdays, 10 PM/ET), continued to post strong numbers with 1.1 million viewers and 124,000 in the demo, rounding out the top five programs in total viewers for the third quarter. In the mornings, FNC’s Cavuto Live anchored by Neil Cavuto continued to draw a strong audience with 1.2 million viewers from 10 AM – 12 PM/ET and 161,000 in the 25-54 demo, landing in the top three for both categories.
On Sundays, FNC’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo earned the top-rated spot in the coveted 25-54 category during the third quarter, with over 208,000 in the demo and 1.6 million total viewers. FNC’s Life, Liberty & Levin outpaced every CNN program in both categories, drawing the largest audience of the quarter with 1.8 million viewers and 156,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 11 AM/ET, MediaBuzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz, delivered 1.3 million viewers and 158,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing CNN’s then-Reliable Sources across the board for the quarter. Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy earned 1.5 million viewers and 129,000 in the demo, while The Next Revolution with host Steve Hilton secured 1.3 million viewers and 135,000 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 1.1 million viewers and 167,000 in the demo. MSNBC’s newly-launched weekend show Symone has been outpaced by FNC in the 4 PM/ET hour by triple-digits among total viewers and the 25-54 demo, notching 415,000 total viewers and 38,000 in the 25-54 demo since launch.
THIRD QUARTER 2022 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:
Total Viewers: The Five (3,295,000) Tucker Carlson Tonight (3,153,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (2,726,000) Hannity (2,682,000), Special Report with Bret Baier (2,341,000)
Adults 25-54: Tucker Carlson Tonight (468,000), The Five (418,000), Hannity (358,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (342,000), Gutfeld! (339,000)
3Q’22 VS. 3Q’21 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,406,000 total viewers – up 3% (201,000 in 25-54 – down 13%)
CNN: 558,000 total viewers – down 7% (110,000 in 25-54 – down 17%)
MSNBC: 783,000 total viewers – up 6% (85,000 in 25-54 – down 11%)
PRIMETIME
FNC: 2,189,000 total viewers – down 8% (294,000 in 25-54 – down 23%)
CNN: 717,000 total viewers – down 13% (150,000 in 25-54 – down 21%)
MSNBC: 1,277,000 total viewers – flat (127,000 in 25-54 – down 22%)
SEPTEMBER 2022 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:
Total Viewers: The Five (3,297,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (3,087,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (2,734,000) Hannity (2,639,000), Special Report with Bret Baier (2,382,000)
Adults 25-54: Tucker Carlson Tonight (438,000), The Five (420,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (348,000), Hannity (340,000), Gutfeld! (338,000)
SEPTEMBER 2022 VS. SEPTEMBER 2021 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,406,000 total viewers – down 4% (201,000 in 25-54 – down 17%)
CNN: 580,000 total viewers – flat (111,000 in 25-54 – down 13%)
MSNBC: 791,000 total viewers – up 10% (82,000 in 25-54 – down 2%)
PRIMETIME
FNC: 2,131,000 total viewers – down 15% (280,000 in 25-54 – down 31%)
CNN: 682,000 total viewers – down 14% (136,000 in 25-54 – down 27%)
MSNBC: 1,233,000 total viewers – down 3% (114,000 in 25-54 – down 26%)
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 20 consecutive years, currently attracting more than 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 15 programs in the genre.
