FNC Secures 98 of the Top 100 Cable News Telecasts for the Month
FNC’s “The Five” is Number One Show in Viewers for Seventh Consecutive Month; “Tucker Carlson Tonight” Highest-Rated in A25-54
“Hannity” Reigns Supreme at 9PM/ET; as MSNBC’s “Alex Wagner Tonight” Sees Worst Month Since Launch
FNC Beats CNN and MSNBC Combined with Total Day and Primetime Viewers
NEW YORK – November 1, 2022 – FOX News Channel (FNC) finished October 2022 marking the 20th consecutive month as the top network in all of cable with total day viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. FNC also surpassed CNN and MSNBC combined with total day and primetime viewers and A25-54 for the 15th consecutive month. Notably, FNC also notched 98 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the month. In addition, FNC was the only cable news network to post growth month over month across the board. In total day, FNC delivered 1.5 million viewers, 206,000 with the 25-54 demo and 124,000 with the 18-49 demo. In primetime, FNC netted 2.3 million viewers, 295,000 in the 25-54 demo and 180,000 with the 18-49 demo. The network secured the top 13 programs in cable news with viewers and the top 15 cable news programs in the 25-54 demo. This also marked CNN’s worst month with primetime viewers year to date.
Attracting 55% of cable news viewers across primetime and 54% in total day, FNC continued to deliver over half the genre’s audience share. According to Nielsen MRI Fusion, FNC also remained the most-watched network across the political spectrum with more Independents and Democrats choosing FNC as their preferred network than MSNBC and CNN in total day and primetime viewers in the A25-54 demo. FNC was also the number one cable news network among Hispanic and Asian households in total day viewers.
Gutfeld! was once again one of the highlights of the month garnering 2,159,000 P2+ and 337,000 A25-54 and continuing to make television history with its second highest-rated month since launch in viewers. Airing at 11 PM/ET, the program also topped every show on CNN and MSNBC with both viewers and A25-54. Gutfeld! also bested ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1,447,000 P2+) and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1,358,000 P2+) in total viewers. FNC’s late-night show also swept Comedy Central’s The Daily Show (403,000 P2+, 145,000 A25-54) across the board in total viewers and the younger 25-54 demo.
At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s late afternoon offering The Five continued as the number one rated show in viewers for the seventh consecutive month and finished first in cable news for the last 10 out of 11 months. The roundtable program averaged 3.4 million viewers, 419,000 with 25-54 demo and 255,000 in the 18-49 demo, outpacing every show on CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 8 PM/ET, Tucker Carlson Tonight continued as the highest-rated program in cable news in the younger 25-54 demo, averaging 3.3 million viewers and 470,000 in the 25-54 demo, as well as 295,000 in the 18-49 category throughout October. Hannity at 9 PM/ET scored over 2.7 million viewers, 344,000 in the 25-54 demo and 206,000 among adults 18-49, achieving the fourth most-watched program in all categories and outpacing the competition on MSNBC and CNN combined. MSNBC’s newly-launched 9 PM/ET program Alex Wagner Tonight delivered its worst month since launch with just 1,425,000 million viewers and 134,000 in the 25-54 demo, and CNN’s 9 PM hour helmed by Jake Tapper averaged just 691,000 viewers and 153,000 with A25-54. At 10 PM/ET, The Ingraham Angle garnered 2.2 million viewers, 292,000 in the 25-54 demo and 171,000 in 18-49 continuing her streak as the most-watched female in cable news. Notably, FNC’s The Five and Tucker Carlson Tonight both beat ABC’s Good Morning America in total viewers.
Evening newscast Special Report with Bret Baier (weeknights, 6 PM/ET) averaged 2.5 million viewers and 324,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 7 PM/ET, FNC’s Jesse Watters Primetime finished as the third highest-rated cable news program, averaging 2.9 million viewers and 364,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 12 AM/ET, FOX News @ Night, anchored Trace Gallagher, surpassed the competition, delivering over 1.1 million viewers and 193,000 in A25-54 in its first month.
From 4-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends FIRST garnered 581,000 viewers. FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) finished October with 1.4 million viewers and 211,000 in the demo, easily outpacing CNN’s New Day in its final month and MSNBC’s Morning Joe combined across both categories. In fact, the program beat every offering on CNN in total viewers and in the 25-54 demo. FOX & Friends continues to make its mark as the number one cable news program in the mornings in both categories for the 19th consecutive month.
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 1.8 million viewers and 230,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 1.8 million viewers and 237,000 in the 25-54 demo and bested CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 1.9 million viewers and 245,000 in the 25-54 demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1.6 million viewers and 221,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 PM/ET, anchor and executive editor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.5 million viewers and 222,000 in the 25-54 demo, while Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET nabbed 1.6 million viewers and 224,000 in the 25-54 category for the month. Notably, FNC’s Outnumbered, America’s Newsroom, The Faulkner Focus and America Reports topped NBC’s TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, ABC’s GMA3 and newly launched NBC News Daily with viewers.
FNC continued to excel against the competition on weekends throughout the month, outpacing CNN and MSNBC combined with total viewers during primetime on Saturdays and total day and primetime total viewers on Sundays. On Saturday, Cavuto Live (Saturday 10 AM/ET) and FOX & Friends Weekend (6-10 AM/ET) tied for the top show of the day with 1,363,000 total viewers. FOX & Friends Weekend led cable news in the 25-54 demo with 210,000 viewers. Unfiltered with Dan Bongino (Saturdays, 9PM/ET) was the most-watched program in primetime on Saturday, earning 1.3 million viewers and 139,000 with A25-54. FNC’s 8 PM/ET addition to its Saturday primetime lineup, One Nation helmed by Brian Kilmeade, garnered 1.1 million and 117,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC’s Lawrence Jones, the youngest Black solo primetime host in cable news, also scored 1 million viewers and 117,000 in the 25-54 demo at 10 PM/ET with Lawrence Jones Cross Country.
On Sundays, FNC’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo (Sundays, 10 AM/ET) earned the top-rated spot across the board, with 1.7 million viewers and 195,000 with A25-54. At 8 PM/ET, Life Liberty and Levin earned 1.6 million viewers and 127,000 in the demo, marking the number one program in primetime. MediaBuzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz at 11 AM/ET, delivered 1.3 million viewers and 175,000 in the 25-54 demo. Meanwhile, FNC’s Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (Sundays, 7 PM/ET), outpaced every CNN and MSNBC weekend program in both categories, drawing an audience of 1.4 million viewers and 115,000 in the 25-54 demo, easily defeating CNN’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? (449,000 P2+; 78,000 A25-54). At 9 PM/ET The Next Revolution with host Steve Hilton which secured 1.2 million viewers and 110,000 in the demo. Notably, FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends from 6-10 AM/ET) outdrew CNN and MSNBC every hour on the weekend in total viewers and the 25-54 demo during the month, earning 1.3 million viewers and 187,000 with A25-54 on Sunday. At 10 PM/ET, FNC secured 941,000 viewers and 109,000 with A25-54 easily surpassing CNN’s The Murdochs: Empire of Influence (416,000 P2+; 72,000 A25-54)
OCTOBER 2022 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:
Total Viewers: The Five (3,406,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (3,298,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (2,911,000), Hannity (2,741,000), Special Report with Bret Baier (2,495,000)
Adults 25-54: Tucker Carlson Tonight (470,000), The Five (419,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (364,000) Hannity (344,000), Gutfeld! (337,000)
OCTOBER 2022 VS. OCTOBER 2021 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,482,000 total viewers – up 5% (206,000 in 25-54 – down 10%)
CNN: 533,000 total viewers – up 9% (106,000 in 25-54 – up 3%)
MSNBC: 751,000 total viewers – up 10% (80,000 in 25-54 – up 1%)
PRIMETIME
FNC: 2,292,000 total viewers – down 1% (295,000 in 25-54- down 15%)
CNN: 624,000 total viewers – down 6% (134,000 in 25-54 – down 3%)
MSNBC: 1,177,000 total viewers – down 2% (114,000 in 25-54 – down 20%)
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.
