FNC’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight” Notches Top Program in the Younger 25-54 Demo
FNC’s 10-Month-Old Daytime Lineup Beats ABC’s “GMA3,” NBC’s “Today with Hoda & Jenna” and CBS’s “The Talk” in Viewership
Every CNN Weekday Program Hits Monthly Low; “Cuomo Prime Time” Marks Lowest-Ratings in Both Categories Since its 2017 Inception
FNC Sweeps Weekend Ratings as MSNBC Hits Worst Weekend Demo Average Since 1997
“Gutfeld!” Celebrates Six Months Since Launch by Finishing October as Second Highest-Rated Late Night Show in Television
NEW YORK – November 2, 2021 – FOX News Channel (FNC) continued its ratings dominance for the month of October while also celebrating the network’s 25th anniversary. According to Nielsen Media Research, FNC occupied more than half the audience share in total day viewers (55%) and the 25-54 demographic (56%) and in primetime across both categories (55% P2+ and 55% A25-54). In October, FNC notched 49 of the top 100 cable telecasts for the month, meanwhile CNN and MSNBC did not have one telecast in the top 100. FNC delivered 13 of the top 15 cable news programs in overall viewers, along with 15 of the top 16 in the younger 25-54 demo. Additionally, FNC remained the most-watched network in cable news, sweeping the competition in both total day and primetime viewers, beating CNN and MSNBC combined in both total day and primetime across all categories. From 8-11 PM/ET, FNC delivered 2.3 million viewers, 344,000 in the 25-54 demo and 212,000 with A18-49. In total day, FNC garnered 1.4 million viewers, 224,000 with the key 25-54 demo and 141,000 with A18-49.
Notably, FNC beat CNN by more than 240% in primetime total viewers and 150% in primetime with A25-54, notching its largest percent advantage over CNN in total day viewers and 25-54 demo since 2014. In total day, CNN again plummeted by 65% in overall viewers and saw 72% declines in the younger 25-54 demo. CNN was also beat by Hallmark, TBS and HGTV in total day viewers and ranked outside the top 25 in the primetime 25-54 demo. Additionally, CNN saw its lowest-rated month in weekday total day and primetime demo since 2014, with every weekday program notching a yearly low in both categories for the month of October. At 9 PM/ET Cuomo Prime Time experienced its lowest-rated month in both categories since the program’s inception in 2017. Meanwhile, MSNBC saw lows dating back to 2004 in the total day 25-54 demo, losing more than 50% year-over-year in all categories. At 11 PM/ET, 11th Hour with Brian Williams also hit a record low, bringing in its worst ratings in the 25-54 demo ever.
At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s signature roundtable program The Five made history by finishing the month as the highest-rated program in total viewers for the first time since inception. Notably, The Five delivered 3,108,000 total viewers, 435,000 A25-54 and 280,000 with A18-49, outpacing every program on CNN and MSNBC in all categories. At 8 PM/ET, FNC’s Tucker Carlson Tonight completed the month as the top-rated program in both younger demos, averaging 483,000 viewers with A25-54 as well as 305,000 in the 18-49 category. Tucker Carlson Tonight drew 3,081,000 in total viewers, crushing his primetime competitors across the board. Hannity at 9 PM/ET followed suit, averaging 2.7 million viewers, 420,000 in the 25-54 demo and 252,000 among adults 18-49. Knocking MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show out of the top five in viewers and outpacing her across the board, The Ingraham Angle garnered 2.2 million viewers, 359,000 in the 25-54 demo and 219,000 in 18-49 for the month of October. Additionally at 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier, delivered 2.3 million viewers, 345,000 with A25-54 and 214,000 with A18-49. Notably, FOX News Primetime at 7 PM/ET averaged 2.1 million viewers, 329,000 with A25-54 and 206,000 with A18-49. FNC delivered six programs that exceeded 2 million viewers for the month.
As it marked its six month anniversary, Greg Gutfeld’s late-night program Gutfeld! finished October as the number-one-rated show in cable television in total viewers at 11 PM/ET, and in the top 10 overall with 1.9 million viewers, 339,000 with A25-54 demo and 216,000 in 18-49 demo. Gutfeld! outpaced ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! in both categories and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in total viewers. FNC’s late night offering also topped Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and all other cable late night programs in both total viewers and the younger A25-54 demo. In addition to surpassing every CNN program in total viewers for the month, Gutfeld! crushed its timeslot competitors, CNN’s Don Lemon Tonight and MSNBC’s The 11th Hour with Brian Williams, across the board. Since its launch, Gutfeld has continued to increase viewership among all categories each month, posting double-digit gains in total viewers (+22%), A25-54 (+12%) and A18-49(+18%) this month versus April 2021. At 12 AM/ET, FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream had an average audience of 991,000 viewers and 208,000 in the 25-54 demo.
From 4-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends FIRST garnered 486,000 viewers. FNC’s FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) marked its seventh straight month as the top-rated cable news morning show across the board, with 1.3 million viewers and 204,000 in the demo, easily outpacing CNN’s New Day and MSNBC’s Morning Joe across both categories. Meanwhile, CNN’s sixth relaunch attempt of New Day delivered a meager 384,000 viewers and 76,000 in the coveted 25-54 demo, notching double-digit losses in both the key demo and total viewers. In fact, FNC’s FOX & Friends more than tripled New Day in total viewers and more than doubled the program in the 25-54 younger demo.
FNC’s daytime lineup, kicking off with a 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 271,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, also notched 1.7 million viewers and 266,000 in the 25-54 demo, besting CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 1.8 million viewers and 270,000 in the demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1.6 million viewers and 256,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 PM/ET, anchor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.6 million viewers and 249,000 in the 25-54 demo, while Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET nabbed 1.6 million viewers and 248,000 in the 25-54. FNC’s 10-month-old daytime lineup topped several offerings across broadcast including America’s Newsroom beating NBC’s Today with Hoda & Jenna (10 AM/ET) and America Reports outpacing ABC’s GMA3 (1 PM/ET) and CBS’s The Talk (2 PM/ET) in total viewers.
Once again, FNC continued its dominance throughout the weekend, beating CNN and MSNBC combined with both categories during total day and primetime. On MSNBC, the network notched its lowest-rated weekend ever in the 25-54 demo behind only 1997, when the network first became rated. FNC’s Saturday primetime powerhouse lineup swept their respective timeslots and earned the top three highest-rated programs, outpacing all cable news competition in both total viewers and in the demo for the month. FNC’s Watters’ World hosted by Jesse Watters (Saturdays at 8 PM/ET) earned the number one program in total viewers for the weekend, with 1.8 million viewers and 211,000 in the demo. Justice with Judge Jeanine (Saturdays at 9 PM/ET) followed as the next most-watched on Saturdays in viewers, with 1.7 million and 192,000 in the demo. Unfiltered with Dan Bongino (Saturdays at 10 PM/ET), easily trounced CNN and MSNBC across the board, delivering 1.5 million viewers and 199,000 with A25-54.
On Sundays, FNC’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo (Sundays, 10 AM/ET) earned the top-rated spot in the coveted 25-54 category for the weekend, with 1.8 million viewers and 242,000 in the demo. MediaBuzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz at 11 AM/ET, delivered 1.4 million viewers and the next most-watched program in the 25-54 demo on Sunday, with 200,000, outpacing CNN’s Reliable Sources (689,000 viewers and 94,000 with A25-54) across the board. Notably, CNN’s Reliable Sources marked its lowest-rated month of 2021 across both categories, down double digits versus September and drawing less than 1 million viewers for the seventh consecutive month. October also delivered the lowest 25-54 demo for the program since May 2014. FNC’s Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (Sundays, 7 PM/ET), trounced every CNN and MSNBC program in total viewers, drawing an audience of 1.3 million viewers and 128,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 8 PM/ET, Life Liberty and Levin earned 1.6 million viewers and 176,000 in the demo, while The Next Revolution with host Steve Hilton (Sundays, 9 PM/ET) secured 1.2 million viewers and 149,000 in the demo. FOX & Friends Weekend (Weekends, 6-10 AM/ET) dominated CNN and MSNBC every hour in both categories for the month, earning 1.2 million viewers and 189,000 in the demo. Additionally, FOX Report with Jon Scott (944,000 viewers; 105,000 A25-54) surpassed the cable news competition in its timeslot.
OCTOBER 2021 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:
Total Viewers: The Five (3,108,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (3,081,000) Hannity (2,749,000), Special Report with Bret Baier (2,304,000), The Ingraham Angle (2,194,000)
Adults 25-54: Tucker Carlson Tonight (483,000), The Five (435,000), Hannity (420,000), The Ingraham Angle (359,000), Special Report with Bret Baier (345,000)
OCTOBER 2021 VS. OCTOBER 2020 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,404,000 total viewers – down 38% (224,000 in 25-54 – down 48%)
CNN: 487,000 total viewers – down 65% (101,000 in 25-54 – down 72%)
MSNBC: 680,000 total viewers – down 54% (78,000 in 25-54 – down 68%)
PRIMETIME
FNC: 2,300,000 total viewers – down 53% (344,000 in 25-54 – down 65%)
CNN: 661,000 total viewers – down 73% (136,000 in 25-54 – down 81%)
MSNBC: 1,203,000 total viewers – down 56% (140,000 in 25-54 – down 71%)
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 nearly 20 consecutive years. According to a 2021 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report, FOX News leads the news industry in both brand loyalty, engagement and expectations. 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 80 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre.
