“Hannity” Ranks as the Top Program in Cable News; “Tucker Carlson Tonight” Earns Top Spot in the Key 25-54 Demographic
Evening Programs “Special Report with Bret Baier” and “The Five” Surpass MSNBC’s Primetime Offering “The Rachel Maddow Show” in Total Viewers and the Demo
Network Ranks Second in 18-49 Demographic in All of Cable Total Day Weekday, Behind Only TBS
NEW YORK – June 2, 2020 – FOX News Channel (FNC) finished the month of May as the second highest-rated cable network in weekday total day across the 18-49 younger demographic, surpassing Food Network, HGTV, USA Network, Bravo, MTV, and TNT, according to Nielsen Media Research. Notably, among all of basic cable, FNC was also the most-watched cable network throughout both total day and primetime, marking 47 consecutive months in the top spot across all of cable in total day. The network also saw growth by 40 percent in total day and 44 percent in primetime year-over-year. FNC finished out the month as the number one network in upscale cable rankings (income of 100K+) in both weekday total day and primetime among total viewers, the key 25-54 demographic and the 18-49 demographic.
Marking 221 consecutive months as the top-rated cable news network in total viewers across total day and primetime, FNC continued to deliver a double-digit percent advantage over both MSNBC and CNN. In total day, FNC garnered 1.9 million viewers and 326,000 with A25-54, and the network holds a 72 percent advantage over CNN for total viewers. In primetime, FNC delivered 3.4 million viewers and 558,000 in the 25-54 demographic and widened its advantage over CNN by 108 percent. In May, FNC claimed 12 of the top 15 cable news programs in total viewers, five of the top six cable news programs in the A25-54 demo, as well as the top four highest-rated programs in the A18-49 category.
FNC’s primetime powerhouse lineup swept the lead spots in cable news across the board. Ranking as the number one program in all of cable news among total viewers, FNC’s Hannity (weekdays, 9PM/ET) garnered 4.2 million viewers and 672,000 in the younger demo. Tucker Carlson Tonight at 8PM/ET captured the key demographic with 700,000 A25-54 viewers and 4.2 million overall viewers. Notably, both programs topped CBS’ Face the Nation, NBC’s The Today Show and Ellen’s Game of Games on broadcast, as well as 90 day Fiancé on TLC. Presentations of Hannity and Tucker Carlson Tonight also beat the historic coverage after the space launch on the Discovery Channel in total viewers, as well the finale of ESPN’s Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance at 10PM/ET on May 17th with total viewers. The Ingraham Angle crushed the 10PM/ET timeslot with 3.5 million viewers and 578,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing the competition in both categories.
Chief political anchor Bret Baier’s Special Report (weekdays, 6PM/ET) continued to deliver another strong month (3.1 million total viewers and 498,000 in the demo) despite the conclusion of daily White House Coronavirus Task Force briefings. The program even came in ahead of MSNBC’s primetime offering The Rachel Maddow Show in both categories and bested CNN and MSNBC combined with total viewers in the timeslot. At 5PM/ET, The Five dominated the hour with 3.7 million viewers and 578,000 in the 25-54 demo. Both programs marked four consecutive months of trouncing Maddow in both categories. At 7PM/ET The Story with Martha MacCallum won its timeslot, notching 2.5 million viewers and 452,000 in the key demo.
Beginning the day, FOX & Friends FIRST (weekdays, 4-6AM/ET) was the number one show in its timeslot during each hour, garnering 643,000 viewers. FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (6-9AM/ET) ended the month with 1.6 million viewers and 283,000 in the demo, beating out CNN’s New Day and MSNBC’s Morning Joe. The network’s three-hour morning news offering, America’s Newsroom, with co-anchors Sandra Smith and Ed Henry (9AM-12PM/ET) garnered 1.9 million viewers and 314,000 with A25-54.
FNC’s afternoon ensemble program, Outnumbered (12PM/ET), averaged 1.9 million viewers and 318,000 in the demo, and at 1PM/ET, Outnumbered Overtime anchored by Harris Faulkner, averaged 1.9 million viewers and 304,000 in the 25-54 demo, beating ABC’s GMA3 in total viewers a record 33 times since 3Q’19. At 2PM/ET, The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino delivered 1.9 million viewers and 312,000 with A25-54, while FNC’s latest addition to the news lineup, Bill Hemmer Reports, averaged 1.9 million viewers and 310,000 in the demo during the 3PM/ET hour. Your World with Neil Cavuto brought in 2.2 million viewers and 344,000 with A25-54. In the evening, FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream saw an audience of 2.1 million viewers and 438,000 in the key demo, outpacing MSNBC’s 11th Hour with Brian Williams in the 25-54 demographic for the sixth consecutive month in both categories.
On the weekends, FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends, 6-10AM/ET) dominated CNN and MSNBC combined in total viewers, with 1.6 million viewers and 286,000 in the demo. Saturday’s primetime lineup of Watters World (Saturdays, 8PM/ET; 2.6 million total viewers and 282,000 in the demo), Justice with Judge Jeanine (Saturdays, 9PM/ET; 2.7 million total viewers and 277,000 in the demo) and The Greg Gutfeld Show (Saturdays,10PM/ET) surpassed CNN and MSNBC combined in total viewers. The Greg Gutfeld Show was also the second most-watched late night program in all of television, behind only CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in total viewership with 2.6 million total viewers, topping broadcast and cable comedy programs, including NBC’s The Tonight Show and ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo (Sundays, 10AM/ET) took the number one spot in its timeslot, averaging 2.1 million total viewers and 343,000 in the demo, while MediaBuzz hosted by Howard Kurtz (Sundays, 11AM/ET) delivered 1.9 million viewers and 320,000 in the 25-54 category, propelling another win over CNN’s Reliable Sources in total viewers (1.3 million P2+; 298,000 A25-54). Additionally, CAVUTO Live (2 million P2+; 385,000 A25-54), FOX Report with Jon Scott (1.7 million P2+; 281,000 A25-54) and The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton (1.9 million P2+; 265,000 A25-54), led the way in their respective timeslots, while Life, Liberty and Levin also notched 2.1 million viewers and 252,000 with A25-54.
Meanwhile on the other networks, CNN declined more than any other cable news network month over month in primetime. CNN decreased by 15 percent in total viewers and decreased by 20 percent in the demo for primetime. The network’s top-rated program, Cuomo Prime Time, ranked in at number 19 in cable news with P2+ behind 13 FNC programs.
MAY 2020 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:
Total Viewers: Hannity (4,231,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (4,192,000), The Five (3,734,000), The Ingraham Angle (3,485,000), Special Report with Bret Baier (3,085,000)
Adults 25-54: Tucker Carlson Tonight (700,000), Hannity (672,000), The Five (578,000), The Ingraham Angle (578,000), Cuomo Primetime (500,000)
MAY’20 VS. MAY’19 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,877,000 total viewers – up 40% (326,000 in 25-54 – up 42%)
CNN: 1,091,000 total viewers – up 98% (296,000 in 25-54 – up 116%)
MSNBC: 1,155,000 total viewers – up 27% (178,000 in 25-54 – up 34%)
PRIMETIME: 8-11PM/ET
FNC: 3,441,000 total viewers – up 44% (558,000 in 25-54 – up 48%)
CNN: 1,652,000 total viewers – up 117% (464,000 in 25-54 – up 151%)
MSNBC: 1,923,000 total viewers – up 16% (293,000 in 25-54 – up 21%)
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 cable, FNC has been the most watched television news channel for more than 18 consecutive years. According to a 2020 Brand Keys Consumer Loyalty Engagement Index report, FOX News is the top brand in the country for morning and evening news coverage. A 2019 Suffolk University poll also named FOX News as the most trusted source for television news or commentary, while a 2019 Brand Keys Emotion Engagement Analysis survey found that FOX News was the most trusted cable news brand. 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.
