CBS Face the Nation was the most-watched Sunday show on Dec. 5, 2021, while ABC’s This Week averaged the most adults 25-54.
Moderated by Margaret Brennan, Face the Nation continues to average the largest total audience of any Sunday public affairs show, season to-date, and averaged 2.81 million total this past Sunday. Face the Nation pulled in the largest total audience, and is the most-watched Sunday show, season-to-date, for the second consecutive year. However, but the program continues to skew older than the Sunday competition and finished third this past Sunday among adults 25-54 (551,000), behind ABC and NBC.
Moderated by George Stephanopoulos, ABC’s This Week finished No. 3 in total viewers and No. 1 among adults 25-54 this past Sunday. The show also finished No. 1 among adults 25-54 the previous Sunday.
Season to date, This Week is No.1 among adults 25-54 (551,000), leading Face the Nation (512,000) and NBC’s Meet the Press (521,000). In fact, the ABC Sunday show hasn’t been No. 1 in the demo this late in a broadcast season since 2015-2016. This Week is also leading MTP in Total Viewers (2.6 million vs. 2.55 million) season to date for the first time since the 2014-2015 season.
Moderated by Chuck Todd, NBC’s Meet the Press averaged 2.64 million total viewers and 558,000 adults 25-54 this past Sunday. “The longest-running show on television” finished No. 2 in the Sunday show ratings race, hauling in more total viewers than This Week, but fewer adults 25-54. The program averaged more adults 25-54 than Face the Nation, but fewer total viewers.
Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace averaged 1.16 million total viewers and 273,000 A25-54 viewers on Fox Broadcasting. The cable replays delivered a combined 1.02 million total viewers and 185,000 adults 25-54. Combined with the first-run broadcast, that’s 2.21 million total viewers and 458,000 adults 25-54 on Oct. 24.
Despite finishing No. 1 in total viewers, Face the Nation shed -16% of its audience from the previous Sunday. The broadcast also lost -11% of its A25-54 audience. ABC’s This Week also fell week-to-week, losing -11% of its average total audience and -17% of its A25-54 audience from the prior Sunday. Meet the Press, on the other hand, saw growth after a rough Sunday, ratings-wise. The broadcast improved by +2% in average total viewers and +2% among adults 25-54 vs. the Nov. 28 broadcast. Additionally, Fox News Sunday shed -2% of average total viewers, but lost -17% of its A25-54 audience from the previous Sunday.
Dec. 5, 2021 Sunday Show Ratings (Nielsen live + same-day):
| Network | Program | Total Viewers | A25-54 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBS | Face the Nation (1/2 hr) | 2,806,000 | 551,000 |
| NBC | Meet the Press | 2,639.000 | 558,000 |
| ABC | This Week | 2,507,000 | 567,000 |
| FOX | Fox News Sunday | 1,156,000 | 273,000 |
Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI (Total Viewers and Adults 25-54); Live + SD for 12/5/21, 11/28/21 and 12/6/20 or as dated. Most Current: 2021 -2022 Season (9/20 – 12/5/21 and 2020 -2021 Season (9/21 – 12/6/20). *Beginning 8/31/20, National ratings also include Out of Home (OOH) viewing. Prior to 8/31/20, ratings do not include OOH viewing. Nielsen ratings for “This Week” include additional airings in select markets. Averages based on regular telecasts.