FNC Remains Most-Watched Network for Overall Convention Coverage; Securing an Average of 4.5 Million Viewers and 731,000 in 25-54 Demo Throughout Primetime
“Gutfeld!,” Airing Head-to-Head with Late Night Competition, Dominates with Post-DNC Reaction; Leads Younger Viewership Throughout August
“The Five” Ranks Number One Program in all of Cable News as “Jesse Watters Primetime” Places as Most Watched in Primetime
FNC Grows its Audience by Double-Digits Among Every Category versus August 2023
NEW YORK – August 27, 2024 – FOX News Channel (FNC) finished the month of August as the most watched network in all of cable, dominating total day and primetime viewers and coming only behind Olympics-focused USA Network in the 25-54 demo. According to Nielsen, FNC occupied nearly half of the total day (47%) and primetime (45%) audience share. As the Democratic National Convention (DNC) commenced in Chicago, IL (August 19th through August 22nd) FNC secured its spot as most watched for combined overall convention coverage, averaging 4.5 million viewers and 731,000 in the 25-54 demo during primetime for the DNC and RNC. In contrast, CNN had 2.3 million viewer and 614,000 in 25-54 demo and MSNBC drew 3.2 million and 516,000 in 25-54 demo. FNC finished the week of the DNC as the leader in total day viewership with 1.5 million viewers. The network also posted double-digit increases versus August 2023, attracting higher total day audience gains than the competition (+22% P2+ and +33% A25-54). Additionally, FNC remained as the top network in all of cable among upscale, Hispanic viewers during total day with 25-54 demo.
Closing out the summer, FNC is leading across every category and marked 42 consecutive months as the ratings leader in primetime and total day viewers and 25-54 demo. In primetime (8 – 11PM/ET), FNC delivered 2.3 million viewers and 288,000 in the 25-54 demographic, growing its audience 12% year-over-year in total viewership and 15% in the 25-54 demo. In total day, FNC drew 1.4 million viewers and 190,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC beat CNN and MSNBC by double to triple-digits across all categories, including the younger 25-54 and 18-49 demos for the month, and more than doubled CNN with total day and primetime viewership.
At 8 PM/ET Jesse Watters Primetime was the number one show in all of cable news with primetime viewership, delivering a whopping 3 million viewers and 360,000 in the 25-54 demo. Leading among the younger 25-54 demo, FNC’s hit late-night program Gutfeld! continued as the genre’s most watched in broadcast and cable television viewers and the 25-54 demographic. Notching over 2.5 million viewers, 365,000 in 25-54 demo, Gutfeld! outranked CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS’ After Midnight and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Additionally, Gutfeld! was the most-watched program for post-DNC reaction, airing live head-to-head with the competition, outpacing them all despite their special programming and star-studded guest lineups.
At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s The Five returned to the number one spot, securing 3.3 million viewers and 339,000 in 25-54 demo, leading all of cable news among total viewership. FNC’s The Five and Jesse Watters Primetime beat out multiple programs on broadcast, including CBS’ Face the Nation, NBC’s The Today Show, ABC’s This Week, Good Morning America, and The View along with NBC’s Meet the Press.
Following the hour, Special Report with Bret Baier (weeknights, 6 PM/ET) averaged 2.3 million viewers and 260,000 in 25-54 demo. FNC’s primetime lineup once again swept the competition every hour, beginning at 7 PM/ET with FNC’s The Ingraham Angle averaging 2.4 million viewers and 281,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC’s Hannity at 9 PM/ET remained dominant, nabbing 2.6 million viewers and 350,000 in the 25-54 demo, leading the hour across the board. Closing the night at 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night also surpassed the competition, delivering 1.4 million viewers and 221,000 in 25-54 demo.
From 5-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends FIRST netted 553,000 viewers while FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) finished the month with 1.2 million viewers and 165,000 in the demo. The program has remained the number one cable news program in the mornings with both categories for more than three straight years and 42 consecutive months in 25-54 demo.
FNC’s daytime lineup, led by two-hour morning news program America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET), saw 1.7 million viewers and 206,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 1.7 million viewers and 202,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 1.8 million viewers and 219,000 in the demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith also garnered 1.7 million viewers and 204,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 PM/ET, anchor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.7 million viewers and 213,000 in the 25-54 demo as Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET nabbed 1.6 million viewers and 206,000 in the 25-54 category for the month.
FNC also continued to excel against the competition throughout the weekend for the month, winning every hour with total viewers and 25-54 demo. FNC defeated CNN and MSNBC by double to triple-digits among both categories on both days. On Saturdays, Life, Liberty & Levin was number in total viewers, drawing 1.5 million viewers and 131,000 in the 25-54 demo. Neil Cavuto’s Cavuto Live finished as the most watched with 25-54 viewers throughout August, securing 173,000 viewers and a total of 1.3 million overall viewers. The Big Weekend Show followed on Saturday earning 1.4 million viewers and 148,000 in the 25-54 demo. FOX Report with Jon Scott nabbed 1.2 million viewers (140,000 A25-54) and FOX News Saturday Night with Jimmy Failla attracted 1.1 million viewers (134,000 A25-54.) FNC’s FOX & Friends Saturday delivered 1.2 million viewers and 165,000 among 25-54 demo, while One Nation with Brian Kilmeade drew 1.3 million viewers and 130,000 in the 25-54 demo.
On Sundays, FNC’s Life, Liberty and Levin again earned the top-rated show in viewers, garnering 1.7 million viewers and 157,000 with 25-54 demo while Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo at 10 AM/ET was supreme in the 25-54 demo, nabbing 186,000 viewers and also drawing 1.7 million total viewers. FOX & Friends Sunday also outpaced every CNN and MSNBC program in viewers, with 1.1 million viewers and 152,000 in 25-54 demo. At 11 AM/ET, MediaBuzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz, delivered 1.3 million viewers and 147,000 in the 25-54 demo while Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy garnered 1.6 million viewers and 161,000 A25-54.
AUGUST 2024 NIELSEN NUMBERS (Monday-Sunday, Live + Same Day):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,427,000 total viewers and 190,000 A25-54
CNN: 615,000 total viewers and 123,000 A25-54
MSNBC: 1,024,000 total viewers and 121,000 A25-54
PRIMETIME (8-11P)
FNC: 2,274,000 total viewers and 288,000 A25-54
CNN: 1,080,000 total viewers and 240,000 A25-54
MSNBC: 1,827,000 total viewers and 246,000 A25-54
AUGUST RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:
Total Viewers: The Five (3,291,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (2,972,000), Hannity (2,609,000), Gutfeld! (2,546,000), The Ingraham Angle (2,435,000)
Adults 25-54: Gutfeld! (365,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (360,000), Hannity (350,000), The Five (339,000), The Ingraham Angle (281,000)
Source: Nielsen. Live+SD. August 2024 (7/29/24-8/25/24) ratings data. Average audience for cable news networks Monday-Sunday based on Total Day and Prime (6a-6a, 8-11p, 7-11p), 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 more than 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.
