“Tucker Carlson Tonight” Reigns as Most-Watched Program in Total Viewers and Makes Cable News History With Over 5 Million Total Viewers for Second Consecutive Month
“Hannity” Earns Top Spot in the Younger 25-54 Demo with More Than 1 Million Viewers for the First Time in History
FNC’s Powerhouse Primetime Lineup Each Notch Highest-Rated Month in the 25-54 Demo in History
“FOX & Friends” Secures Highest-Rated Month This Year in the 25-54 Demo
NEW YORK – December 2, 2020 – FOX News Channel (FNC) finished the month of November as the most-watched cable network in both total day and primetime total viewers (Persons 2+), notching 53 months in a row in the top spot across all of basic cable in total day. FNC also saw its highest-rated November on record in primetime across total viewers and in the key 25-54 demographic. November also marked the 11th consecutive month this year that the network has finished number one in all of cable across primetime total viewers led by Tucker Carlson Tonight at 8PM/ET. Surpassing every broadcast network aside from FOX in total viewers, FNC continues to outpace NBC, CBS, and ABC in addition to the cable news competition in weekday primetime, an ongoing streak since Memorial Day. Additionally, the network edged out broadcast network CBS in the key 25-54 demographic in weekday primetime.
Marking 227 consecutive months as the top-rated cable news network in total day and primetime across total viewers, FNC continued to deliver double-digit percent advantages year over year. In total day, FNC garnered 1.9 million viewers, 413,000 with A25-54 and 279,000 in the 18-49 demo. In primetime, FNC delivered 3.9 million viewers, 827,000 in the 25-54 demographic, and 587,000 in the 18-49 category, delivering a 41 percent advantage over CNN in total viewers. In November, FNC claimed 39 of the top 100 cable telecasts in total viewers and delivered six telecasts with over 10 million total viewers, while MSNBC failed to deliver even one. FNC’s election night coverage comprised the top three most-watched telecasts for the month, beating every CNN telecast and every football game airing on ESPN in total viewers. The network also swept the cable news competition with the top four cable news programs in both total viewers and in the 25-54 demo as well as the top three in the 18-49 category. Delivering increases of 22 percent in total day and 41 percent in primetime year-over-year, FNC also led all of cable in upscale viewers (income of 100K+) in both weekday total day and primetime among total viewers.
Many of FNC’s programs, as well as the network’s entire primetime lineup, delivered their highest-rated month in the 25-54 demographic ever, including Tucker Carlson Tonight, Hannity, The Ingraham Angle, FOX News @ Night with anchor Shannon Bream and FOX & Friends. Meanwhile, The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino and Outnumbered Overtime with anchor Harris Faulkner delivered their second highest-rated months in the demo in program history.
FNC’s primetime powerhouse lineup swept the top spots in cable news across the board and the weekday lineup surpassed broadcast in weekday primetime summer to date. At 8PM/ET, FNC’s Tucker Carlson Tonight continues to make cable news history, marking the first time that a cable news program delivered over 5 million viewers for two consecutive months. The 8PM/ET program was also the highest-rated for the month in total viewers with 5.1 million, 1,018,000 in the 25-54 demographic, and 702,000 in the 18-49 demo. Both Tucker Carlson Tonight and Hannity finished the month of November averaging 5 million total viewers, making cable news history yet again as the only two programs in cable news to have ever marked this milestone. At 9PM/ET, Hannity was the number one-rated program in the key 25-54 demographic, averaging over 1 million viewers (1,046,000) for the first time in program history and followed as the second most-watched program in cable news, notching 4,982,000 total viewers and 718,000 in the 18-49 demo. Additionally, both programs marked 10 straight months of surpassing 4 million viewers overall. In total viewers, Tucker Carlson Tonight and Hannity surpassed NBC Nightly News airing on Sundays, ABC’s The Bachelorette, The Conners, Big Sky, Million Little Things, The Good Doctor and America’s Funniest Home Videos, as well as NCIS New Orleans, The Amazing Race and Face The Nation airing on CBS.
The Ingraham Angle crushed the 10PM/ET timeslot with 3.8 million viewers and 788,000 in the 25-54 demo and 548,000 in the 18-49 category, outpacing the competition in all categories. In November, Laura Ingraham was yet again the highest-rated female host in cable news, handily surpassing MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow across the board. Additionally, FNC’s entire primetime lineup remains up double-digits year over year, with Tucker Carlson Tonight seeing increases of 49 percent with total viewers and 85 percent with A25-54, Hannity up 39 percent in total viewers and 89 percent with A25-54, and The Ingraham Angle experiencing a 34 percent increase with total viewers and 80 percent with A25-54.
Chief political anchor Bret Baier’s Special Report (weekdays, 6PM/ET) delivered another strong ratings month with over 3 million viewers and 616,000 in the demo. At 5PM/ET, The Five remained the dominant program for the hour, earning primetime-like numbers with 3.8 million viewers and 688,000 in the 25-54 demographic. Notably, the program, as well as FNC’s entire primetime lineup, all surpassed NBC’s Meet The Press and The Today Show, as well as ABC’s This Week and Good Morning America in total viewers.
At 7PM/ET, The Story with Martha MacCallum won its timeslot in all categories over the cable news competition, notching 2.8 million viewers and 654,000 in the key demo. The program also surpassed MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show with both younger demos. The Story also beat MSNBC’s heavily-promoted show The ReidOut by 44 percent with the younger 18-49 demographic.
Beginning the day, FOX & Friends FIRST (weekdays, 4-6AM/ET) was the number one show in its timeslot, garnering 693,000 total viewers and 142,000 in 25-54 demo. FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (6-9AM/ET) delivered 1.8 million viewers and 374,000 in the 25-54 category, marking the show’s highest-rated demo of the year and beating out CNN’s New Day and MSNBC’s Morning Joe across the board. The network’s three-hour morning news offering, America’s Newsroom (9AM-12PM/ET) notched nearly 2 million viewers and 388,000 in the demo.
FNC’s afternoon ensemble program, Outnumbered (12PM/ET), averaged 2 million viewers and 361,000 in the demo, and at 1PM/ET, Outnumbered Overtime anchored by Harris Faulkner, scored 2.1 million viewers and 439,000 in the 25-54 demo. The program also outpaced MSNBC’s MTP Daily which averaged 1.7 million viewers and 309,000 in the demo. At 2PM/ET, The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino delivered over 2 million viewers and 434,000 with A25-54, while Bill Hemmer Reports, averaged 2 million viewers 430,000 in the demo during the 3PM/ET hour. Your World with Neil Cavuto brought in 2.2 million viewers and 473,000 with A25-54, outpacing MSNBC’s Deadline: White House in the demo (411,000 A25-54). In the evening, FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream saw an audience of 2.1 million viewers and 509,000 in the key demo, edging out MSNBC’s The 11th Hour with Brian Williams in the demo (473,000 A25-54).
On the weekends, FNC delivered the top seven programs in total viewers as well as the leading program in the A25-54 demographic. Justice with Judge Jeanine (Saturdays, 9PM/ET) was the most-watched program on Saturdays, scoring 2.7 million viewers and 332,000 25-54. FNC’s powerhouse primetime lineup on Saturday continued to dominate the cable news landscape, with Watters’ World (Saturdays, 8PM/ET) securing nearly 2.7 million total viewers and 299,000 in the demo. The Greg Gutfeld Show (Saturdays, 10PM/ET) garnered 2.2 million viewers and 349,000 in the A25-54 demo and surpassed various late-night programs airing on broadcast in total viewers, including ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and NBC’s The Tonight Show.
Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo (Sundays, 10AM/ET) captured the number one spot in the younger A25-54 demographic for the month, averaging 2.3 million viewers and 429,000 in the demo. MediaBuzz hosted by Howard Kurtz (Sundays, 11AM/ET) delivered 1.8 million viewers and 370,000 in the 25-54 category, propelling another win over CNN’s Reliable Sources in total viewers (1,663,000 P2+). The FNC program earned an 11 percent advantage over CNN in viewers. Life, Liberty and Levin at 8PM/ET was the highest-rated program on Sundays with total viewers, earning 2.6 million and 381,000 with A25-54. The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton (Sundays at 9PM/ET) garnered 1.8 million total viewers and 266,000 with A25-54. Additionally, FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends, 6-10AM/ET) earned 1.4 million viewers and 247,000 in the 25-54 demo, while CAVUTO Live saw 1.6 million P2+ and 293,000 A25-54 and FOX Report with Jon Scott delivered 1.2 million P2+ and 186,000 A25-54.
NOVEMBER 2020 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:
Total Viewers: Tucker Carlson Tonight (5,095,000), Hannity (4,982,000), The Five (3,780,000), Ingraham Angle (3,776,000), The Rachel Maddow Show (3,437,000),
Adults 25-54: Hannity (1,046,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (1,018,000), The Ingraham Angle (788,000), The Five (688,000), Cuomo Prime Time (671,000)
NOVEMBER’20 VS. NOVEMBER’19 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,940,000 total viewers – up 22% (413,000 in 25-54 – up 59%)
CNN: 1,781,000 total viewers – up 135% (558,000 in 25-54 – up 210%)
MSNBC: 1,589,000 total viewers – up 32% (302,000 in 25-54 – up 59%)
PRIMETIME: 8-11PM/ET
FNC: 3,939,000 total viewers – up 41% (827,000 in 25-54 – up 97%)
CNN: 2,802,000 total viewers – up 180% (948,000 in 25-54 – up 297%)
MSNBC: 2,660,000 total viewers – up 29% (536,000 in 25-54 – up 52%)
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.
