FNC’s ‘The Five’ Smashes Records as the Number One Cable News Program in Viewers and Becomes First Non-Prime Program Ever to Deliver Over Four Million Viewers in Fourth Quarter
Late Night Hit ‘Gutfeld!’ is Most-Watched in A25-54, ‘Jesse Watters Primetime’ Tops in A18-49
FNC is Highest-Rated Network Across the Board for all Political Coverage with Most Politically Diverse Audience in Cable News
FNC Captures 72% of the Cable News Audience Post-Election and Notches 312 Top Telecasts, MSNBC and CNN Audiences Continue to Flee as CNN Reaches Another New Low and Delivers Smallest Audience in Network History
NEW YORK – December 17, 2024 – FOX News Channel (FNC) continued to break ratings records in 2024, finishing the year with the highest share of the cable news audience in nearly a decade as it marks nine consecutive years as the highest-rated cable network in all of television, according to Nielsen Media Research. FNC was the number one network throughout the political cycle and more viewers tuned into the network for breaking news coverage of major events than any other cable news channel, catapulting FNC to another year of ratings dominance. This past year, FNC held 55% of the cable news audience in primetime and 53% in total day, securing the majority of those watching the genre and notching its highest share of the audience since 2015. FNC also was up the most in every category versus the year prior, posting double-digit gains across the board, and delivered double- and triple-digit advantages over the competition in viewers, A25-54 and A18-49. In primetime, FNC averaged 2,406,000 viewers (+31% vs. 2023) and 298,000 in A25-54 (+42% vs. 2023), topping CNN and MSNBC combined in viewership. In total day, FNC saw 1,462,000 viewers (+21% vs.2023) and 187,000 in A25-54 (+26% vs. 2023). The fastest growing cable channel of the year, FNC programs made up 70 of the top 100 cable news telecasts and the network had the highest length of tune in the genre across all categories. Additionally, more Independents and Democrats continued to choose FNC over any other network with A25-54, according to Nielsen MRI Fusion. The network was also number one among Hispanic, Asian and upscale viewers. Notably, CNN reached another new low, finishing the year with its smallest audience in network history in total day A25-54 with a paltry 93,000 in the demo and 488,000 in viewers.
In commenting on the milestone, FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said, “Throughout coverage of a tumultuous political cycle, wars in the Middle East and major breaking news events, millions of viewers across the political spectrum continued to tune into FOX News Channel for our unrivaled reporting and analysis. I am extremely proud of our entire team for proving once again why we are the nation’s most-watched network as we outpaced the competition in covering the stories that mattered most to everyday Americans.”
During the 2024 election cycle, more viewers turned to FNC than any other cable news network for historic political news including the lead up to and following election night, headline grabbing interviews, presidential debate simulcasts, the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, the assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden dropping out of the presidential race. According to Nielsen Media Research, FNC was the most watched cable news network in every swing state, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. A YouGov study during the election cycle found more Independents get their news from the network than any of the competition.
FOX News Media’s coverage of election night topped all television networks with nearly 13.6 million viewers and 4.4 million in the A25-54 demo while its broadcast of Vice President Kamala Harris’ concession speech was also number one with nearly 8 million viewers. The week following the election FNC’s Special Report topped CBS” The Evening News while America’s Newsroom and The Faulkner Focus outpaced The View despite being in millions less homes than the broadcast networks. FOX News Media’s simulcast of ABC’s presidential debate between Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump garnered 14.2 million viewers, topping NBC, CBS and cable news on September 10th, while its simulcast of the CNN presidential debate drew the largest audience in television with 13.4 million viewers. The network also made history as it delivered the highest-rated primetime convention coverage of all time during the RNC with 10.4 million viewers and 2 million in 25-54 from 10-11 PM/ET. FNC’s live breaking news coverage of the attempted assassination of former President Trump was its highest-rated weekend ever delivering 6.9 million viewers and 1.4 million in the 25-54 demo. Later in July, the network also led during breaking news coverage of President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign, with 2.1 million viewers and 336,000 in 25-54.
Since the election, FOX News captured 73% of the cable news audience in primetime as MSNBC and CNN ushered in historic declines. In primetime, MSNBC has seen 61% of its A25-54 audience flee the channel with the network delivering only 54,000 in A25-54 and 601,000 in viewers (-55%). CNN has lost over half of its audience in primetime in the A25-54 demo in primetime, averaging 75,000 (-52%) in A25-54 and 394,000 in viewers (-45%). FNC has notched 284 of the top cable news telecasts since the day after the election with MSNBC and CNN failing to garner over two million viewers since November 6th.
In 2024, FNC programs made up the top 12 programs in viewers, including The Five, Jesse Watters Primetime, Hannity, Gutfeld!, The Ingraham Angle, Special Report with Bret Baier, Outnumbered, The Faulkner Focus, America’s Newsroom with Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith, The Story with Martha MacCallum and Your World with Neil Cavuto. The network also notched the top 14 programs in A25-54 with Gutfeld!, Jesse Watters Primetime, Hannity, The Five, The Ingraham Angle, Special Report with Bret Baier, Outnumbered, FOX News @ Night, The Faulkner Focus, America’s Newsroom, America Reports, Your World with Neil Cavuto, The Story and FOX & Friends. Additionally, FNC secured the 13 of the top 15 highest-rated programs in A18-49, including Jesse Watters Primetime, Hannity, Gutfeld!, The Five, The Ingraham Angle, Special Report with Bret Baier, FOX News @ Night, Outnumbered, The Faulkner Focus, America Reports, Your World with Neil Cavuto, The Story, America’s Newsroom and FOX & Friends.
The Five made history marking the third consecutive year it has topped cable news with viewers and becoming the first non-primetime show to deliver over four million viewers during its highest-rated fourth quarter ever (4,032,000 P2+; 432,000 A25-54). During 2024, FNC’s late afternoon ensemble program (weekdays, 5 PM/ET) drew cable news’ largest audience in viewers and the 25-54 demo, averaging 3.4 million viewers and 330,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC’s primetime lineup crushed the cable news competition, kicking off with The Ingraham Angle dominating the 7 PM/ET timeslot with 2.5 million viewers and 275,000 in 25-54 demo. At 8 PM/ET, Jesse Watters Primetime was the most-watched cable news program with primetime viewers, commanding 3.1 million viewers and 348,000 in the 25-54 demo and Hannity (weekdays at 9 PM/ET) drew the third largest audience with viewers, delivering 2.7 million viewers and 320,000 in 25-54 demo.
FNC’s runaway late-night hit Gutfeld! (weekdays, 10 PM/ET) soared past the cable and broadcast competition, averaging 2.5 million viewers and 355,000 in 25-54 demo. In fact, Gutfeld! led all of cable news in the 25-54 demo. Gutfeld! continued to disrupt the late-night landscape, outpacing broadcast shows CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and beating all of cable late night in viewers, 25-54 demo and the younger A18-49 demo. The show’s September 18th interview with former President Donald Trump commanded nearly 5 million viewers and 744,000 in the 25-54 demo, the highest-rated show in the program’s history.
At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier featured several high-profile interviews in 2024, including an exclusive with Vice President Kamala Harris which secured nearly 8 million viewers making it the highest rated interview of the Harris-Trump political season. FNC’s premier news program was the highest rated in cable news in its hour, averaging 2.4 million viewers and 257,000 in 25-54 demo for the year, crushing the competition. FOX News @ Night topped the 11 PM/ET hour with 1.4 million viewers and 212,000 in the 25-54 demo.
From 6-9 AM/ET, FOX & Friends continued to dominate the morning cable news landscape as the highest-rated morning show for the 23rd consecutive year with 1.2 million viewers and 165,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC’s early show FOX & Friends First (weekdays, 5-6 AM/ET) delivered 587,000 viewers and 102,000 in the 25-54 demo.
Leading FNC’s daytime news programming, America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (9-11 AM/ET) averaged 1.7 million total viewers and 205,000 in the 25-54 demo, continuing to decimate the cable news competition. Harris Faulkner’s The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET garnered an audience of 1.8 million total viewers and 215,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping CNN and MSNBC across the board. FNC’s Outnumbered, with co-hosts Harris Faulkner, Emily Compagno and Kayleigh McEnany, was the highest-rated cable news program at 12 PM/ET with 1.9 million viewers and 225,000 in 25-54 demo. America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET) bested the competition, garnering 1.7 million viewers and 203,000 in 25-54 demo. The Story’s Martha MacCallum at 3 PM/ET nabbed 1.7 million viewers and 198,000 in the 25-54 demo while Your World with Neil Cavuto was number one across the board at 4 PM/ET, with 1.7 million viewers and 198,000 in the 25-54 demo. America’s Newsroom, America Reports, The Faulkner Focus, Outnumbered and The Story continue to outpace the broadcast competition, beating Today with Hoda and Jenna, GMA3, The Talk, The Drew Barrymore Show, and NBC News Daily with total viewers. FOX & Friends also tops NBC News Daily and The Drew Barrymore Show in viewers.
On the weekends, FOX News had its highest share of the cable news audience with both viewers and A25-54 in network history. The Big Weekend Show (weekends, 7 PM/ET) was the number one show of the day with 1.5 million viewers. During primetime on Saturdays, FNC remained the highest-rated cable news network as Life, Liberty and Levin (weekends, 8 PM/ET) finished the year in the number one spot in viewers at 8 PM/ET with over 1.4 million viewers and 112,000 in 25-54 demo. At 9 PM/ET, FNC’s One Nation with Brian Kilmeade outpaced CNN and MSNBC, averaging 1.2 million viewers and 114,000 in 25-54 demo. The newly launched FOX News Saturday Night with Jimmy Failla (Saturday, 10 PM/ET) crushed the competition seeing 950,000 viewers and 115,000 in the 25-54 demo. Cavuto Live (Saturday, 10 AM – 12 PM/ET) commanded 1.3 million viewers and 154,000 in the 25-54 demo.
On Sundays at 10 AM/ET, Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo drew the largest weekend cable news audience with 1.6 million viewers and 174,000 in 25-54 demo. At 11 AM/ET, MediaBuzz with Howard Kurtz, cable news’ only media watchdog program, delivered over 1.3 million and 142,000 in 25-54 demo. On Sunday evening, Life, Liberty and Levin (8 PM/ET) led in primetime with 1.5 million viewers and 127,000 in 25-54 demo while Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy beat the competition at 9 PM/ET, averaging 1.4 million viewers and 115,000 in 25-54 demo.
Additionally, throughout 2024 on YouTube, FNC has netted 2.8 billion video views (up 17% vs. 2023) and FBN has earned 759 million video views in 2024 for a combined 3.6 billion video views. The network also has 185 million hours spent on YouTube this year, up 22% compared to 2023. November marked a record month for FNC on YouTube reaching over 400 million video viewers. November 6th, the day after the election, was the network’s best day ever on YouTube outpacing the closest competitor MSNBC by 156%.
Nielsen Cable News Ratings for 2024 (12/26/23-12/15/24) vs. 2023 (12/28/22-12/26/23)
Primetime:
FNC: 2,406,000 P2+ (up 31%); 298,000 25-54 (up 42%)
CNN: 700,000 P2+ (up 20%); 151,000 25-54 (up 20%)
MSNBC: 1,251,000 P2+ (up 4%); 137,000 25-54 (up 12%)
Total Day:
FNC: 1,462,000 P2+ (up 21%); 187,000 25-54 (up 26%)
CNN: 488,000 P2+ (up 2%); 92,000 25-54 (down 2%)
MSNBC: 807,000 P2+ (up 4%); 86,000 25-54 (flat)
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. A 2024 Pew Research Center study found that more Americans named FNC as their main source for political news than any other network while 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.
