FNC Ranks Number One Across Broadcast and Cable During Weekend Breaking News Coverage of President Biden’s Decision to Drop out of the 2024 Election
FNC Sees Best Week in Total Day and Primetime Viewers Since 2020 Election; Had its Highest Audience Share in Network History
FNC’s Coverage of Final Night of RNC Broke Record for Most-Watched Convention on Any Network
During the week of July 15-21, FOX News Channel (FNC) led all of television with primetime viewers beating out the broadcast competition and posting its highest rated week since the 2020 election in both total day and primetime viewers during the week that included post analysis on the assassination attempt on former President Trump, the Republican National Convention and President Biden dropping out of the race. FNC, which only came behind FOX in the 25-54 demo, occupied 70% of the audience share in primetime viewers and 66% in total day, making it the highest share in the network’s history. FNC once again outpaced CNN and MSNBC combined in all categories, reaching double and triple digit advantages across the board. In primetime (8-11 PM/ET), FNC earned 5 million viewers and 790,000 in the 25-54 demo, commanding all of cable with viewers. In total day (6AM-6AM/ET), FNC posted 2.5 million viewers and 376,000 in the 25-54 demo, during special coverage of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Week-over-week FNC saw the highest-growth with viewers across primetime and total day seeing a 23% gain in total day and 29% gain in primetime compared to the week before.
- FOX News Channel’s breaking news coverage of President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign on Sunday, July 21st led all of television across the board. FNC was first to report the news with anchor Mike Emanuel breaking in at 1:50 PM/ET, delivering 1.7 million viewers and 243,000 in 25-54 demo (1:45 – 2PM/ET), while CNN drew 512,000 viewers and 103,000 in 25-54 and MSNBC saw 652,000 viewers and 71,000 in 25-54 demo. From 2- 4PM/ET, FNC notched 3.5 million viewers and 678,000 in the 25-54 demo. In contrast, MSNBC and CNN, which was in tape while news broke, both drew 2 million viewers, a double-digit advantage for FNC. Bumping regularly scheduled programming, FNC’s primetime lineup from 8 – 11 PM/ET posted 3.3 million viewers and 526,000 in the 25-54 demo on Sunday night.
- FNC finished the RNC with 6.7 million viewers and 1.1 million in the 25-54 demo, during Monday through Thursday primetime (8-11 PM/ET). In contrast, the competition failed to draw a significant audience, experiencing a massive drop off from 2016, as FNC occupied 75% of the entire cable news primetime audience. In comparison, CNN drew 1.2 million total viewers and 349,000 A25-54 in primetime and 555,000 viewers and 142,000 A25-54 throughout total day, dropping 67% in primetime and down 59% and 66% in total day. On MSNBC, the network also dwindled in viewership, drawing only 1.1 million and 143,000 in primetime and 702,000 viewers and 83,000 A25-54 throughout total day throughout the four-night period. MSNBC lost 40% P2+ and A25-54 indicators and 72% of its primetime audience and 26% and 66% in total day.
- Incorporating all airings, The Five averaged 4.8 million viewers and 544,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 3.6 million viewers and 452,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Ingraham Angle drew 4 million viewers and 559,000 in the 25-54 demo at 7 PM/ET. At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime delivered 5.6 million viewers and 819,000 in the 25-54 demo, making it the highest-rated show of the week. At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 5.5 million viewers and 885,000 with A25-54. At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night secured 1.7 million viewers and 339,000 in the 25-54 demo.
- FOX News Channel’s Gutfeld! was the highest-rated program in late-night television last week during its special 11 PM/ET live programs in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention (RNC), according to data from Nielsen Media Research. While at the RNC, Gutfeld! averaged 3.3 and 643,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping The Daily Show (437,00 P2+), CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (1,541,000 P2+), ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (955,000 P2+), NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (971,000 P2+), Late Night with Seth Meyers (691,000 P2+) and CBS’ After Midnight (496,000 P2+) with total viewership.
- FNC also saw a number of its daytime programs outrank the broadcast competition. Most notably The Story with Martha MacCallum (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 2,915,000 P2+), America Reports (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET; 2,560,000), Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET; 2,553,000 P2) and The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 2,358,000 P2+) all outpaced ABC’s The View (2,294,000 P2+) with viewers.
Source: Nielsen. Live+SD. Week of 7-15-24 ratings data. Average audience for cable news networks Monday-Sunday based on Total Day and Prime (6a-6a, 8P-11P), P2+, P25-54, P18-49. Cable News/Broadcast Program averages exclude repeats and include the corresponding program name.
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 eight years and the most-watched television news channel for 22 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 2023 New York Times/Siena College poll found FNC as the leading single source of news for voters across the country. Owned by Fox Corporation, FNC is available in nearly 70 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top 10 programs in the genre.
