“The Five” is Most-Watched with Total Viewers, “Jesse Watters Primetime” Leads Cable News in 25-54 Demo
“Special Report” Interview with Vice President Kamala Harris is Most-Watched Non-Primetime Interview in Cable News History
FNC is Only Cable News Network to Show Year-to-Year Growth Across the Board; Occupies 94 of the Top 100 Cable News Telecasts
NEW YORK – October 29, 2024 – FOX News Channel (FNC) marked its second highest-rated October of an election year in network history. According to Nielsen Media Research, FNC remained the top network in all of cable news among upscale, Hispanic and Asian viewers during total day in viewership and 25-54 demo. Additionally, more Independents and Democrats continued to tune in to FNC over any other network, according to data from Nielsen MRI Fusion. Major highlights of the month included Special Report with Bret Baier’s interview with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris with 9.2 million viewers and 1.4 million in the 25-54 demo across its airings at 6 PM and 12 AM/ET, making it the most-watched non-primetime interview in cable news history. Additionally, FOX News Media’s simulcast of the CBS vice presidential debate averaged nearly 11 million viewers, which surpassed the broadcast and cable news competition. FNC occupied more than half of the total day (53%) and primetime (55%) audience share, besting CNN and MSNBC combined across total day and primetime in all categories. Notably, the network nabbed 94 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the month and saw double digit year-over-year growth across primetime and total day.
Leading across every category, FNC marked 44 consecutive months as number one in primetime and total day viewers and 25-54 demo. In primetime (8 – 11 PM/ET), FNC delivered 2.8 million viewers and 359,000 in the 25-54 demographic, growing its audience 30% year-over-year in total viewership and 40% in the 25-54 demo. In total day, FNC drew 1.6 million viewers and 212,000 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 tripled CNN with total day and primetime viewership.
At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s The Five returned to the number one spot, securing 3.6 million viewers and 364,000 in 25-54 demo, leading all of cable news among total viewership while Jesse Watters Primetime (8 PM/ET) posted 3.5 million viewers and 454,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping cable news in the younger demo. Notably, The Five and Jesse Watters Primetime beat out multiple broadcast programs, including NBC’s Law and Order, The Today Show & Meet the Press, ABC’s Golden Bachelorette, This Week, Good Morning America, and The View and CBS’s Face the Nation.
FNC’s primetime lineup once again swept the competition every hour, beginning at 7 PM/ET with FNC’s The Ingraham Angle averaging 2.8 million viewers and 334,000 in the 25-54 demo. Winning the 9 PM/ET hour across the board, FNC’s Hannity remained dominant with 3 million viewers and 393,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC’s hit late-night program Gutfeld! (10 PM/ET) continued as the genre’s most watched in broadcast and cable television, sweeping both total viewers and the 25-54 demo. Notching over 2.9 million viewers, 398,000 in 25-54, 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. In fact, each program in FNC’s lineup from 5-11 PM/ET saw double-digit gains with viewers and A25-54.
The network’s nightly newscast, Special Report with Bret Baier (weeknights, 6 PM/ET), averaged 2.9 million viewers and 319,000 in 25-54 demo. Closing the night at 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night also surpassed the competition, delivering 1.7 million viewers and 260,000 in 25-54 demo.
From 5-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends FIRST netted 631,000 viewers while FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) finished the month with 1.3 million viewers and 171,000 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 44 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 1.8 million viewers and 211,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 1.9 million viewers and 231,000 in the 25-54 demo. On October 16th, The Faulkner Focus’ women’s issues town hall with former President Trump in Georgia nabbed over 3 million viewers, the program’s second most-watched show since launch. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 2.1 million viewers and 242,000 in the demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith also garnered 1.8 million viewers and 227,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 PM/ET, anchor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.8 million viewers and 213,000 in the 25-54 demo as Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET nabbed 1.8 million viewers and 214,000 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, defeating CNN and MSNBC by double to triple-digits among both categories on both days. On Saturdays, The Big Weekend Show was number one across the board, drawing 1.7 million viewers and 195,000 in the 25-54 demo. Life, Liberty & Levin was the top show in primetime with 1.5 million viewers. Neil Cavuto’s Cavuto Live secured 1.3 million viewers and 161,000 in the 25-54 demo. FOX Report with Jon Scott nabbed 1.3 million viewers (148,000 A25-54) and FOX News Saturday Night with Jimmy Failla attracted 1 million viewers (110,000 A25-54.) FNC’s FOX & Friends Saturday delivered 1.3 million viewers and 163,000 among 25-54 demo, while One Nation with Brian Kilmeade drew 1.3 million viewers and 118,000 in the 25-54 demo.
On Sundays, FNC’s The Big Weekend Show again earned the top-rated show of the day, garnering 2.4 million viewers and 325,000 with 25-54 demo. Maria Bartiromo’s Sunday Morning Futures followed with 1.8 million viewers and 191,000 in the 25-4 demo. FOX & Friends Sunday also outpaced every CNN and MSNBC program in viewers, with 1.2 million viewers and 155,000 in 25-54 demo. At 11 AM/ET, MediaBuzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz, delivered 1.4 million viewers and 153,000 in the 25-54 demo while Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy garnered 1.6 million viewers and 165,000 A25-54.
OCTOBER 2024 NIELSEN NUMBERS (Monday-Sunday, Live + Same Day):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,623,000 total viewers and 212,000 A25-54
CNN: 532,000 total viewers and 100,000 A25-54
MSNBC: 903,000 total viewers and 97,000 A25-54
PRIMETIME (8-11P)
FNC: 2,751,000 total viewers and 359,000 A25-54
CNN: 830,000 total viewers and 175,000 A25-54
MSNBC: 1,390,000 total viewers and 160,000 A25-54
OCTOBER RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:
Total Viewers: The Five (3,616,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (3,526,000), Hannity (2,971,000), Gutfeld! (2,938,000), Special Report (2,866,000)
Adults 25-54: Jesse Watters Primetime (454,000), Gutfeld! (398,000), Hannity (393,000), The Five (364,000), The Ingraham Angle (334,000)
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.
