Fox News was the top-rated network on the first day of the Senate Impeachment trial of Pres. Trump during the broadcast and cable common coverage period.
Co-anchored by Special Report’s Bret Baier and The Story’s Martha MacCallum, FNC coverage averaged 2.65 million total viewers and 394,000 in the A25-54 demo from 12:30 – 5 p.m. ET.
MSNBC averaged 1.9 million total viewers and 261,ooo in the A25-54 demo, while CNN averaged 1.4 million total viewers and 383,000 from the key A25-54 demo.
ABC averaged 1.6 million total viewers and 385,000 A25-54 viewers during the 12:30 – 5 p.m. ET coverage period. NBC averaged 1.4 million and 349,000 during the same coverage period.
CBS left impeachment trial coverage at 3 p.m. ET (but would return later). The network averaged 1.9 million total viewers and 362,000 A25-54 viewers from 12:30 – 3 p.m. ET, No. 1 among the broadcasters in that time period.
Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020
| Senate Impeachment Trial Day 1 Common Coverage | |||
| Network | Total Viewers (000) | A25-54 Viewers (000) | Time Period (ET) |
| Fox News | 2,654,000 | 394,000 | 12:30 – 5 p.m. |
| CBS | 1,943,000 | 362,000 | 12:30 – 3 p.m. |
| MSNBC | 1,909,000 | 261,000 | 12:30 – 5 p.m. |
| ABC | 1,630,000 | 385,000 | 12:30 – 5 p.m. |
| CNN | 1,439,000 | 383,000 | 12:30 – 5 p.m. |
| NBC | 1,437,000 | 349,000 | 12:30 – 5 p.m. |
*Preliminary Nielsen live-plus-same-day data
NBC stuck with the impeachment trial proceedings up until prime time. If you consider the 12:30 – 8 p.m. ET coverage period, NBC moves to No. 1.
| Sen. Impeachment Trial Day 1 Cable News + NBC Coverage | |||
| Network | Total Viewers (000) | A25-54 Viewers (000) | Time Period (ET) |
| NBC | 2,794,000 | 647,000 | 12:30 – 5 / 5:18 – 7:40 |
| Fox News | 2,634,000 | 431,000 | 12:30 – 8 p.m. |
| MSNBC | 1,983,000 | 294,000 | 12:30 – 8 p.m. |
| CNN | 1,459,000 | 395,000 | 12:30 – 8 p.m. |
*Preliminary Nielsen live-plus-same-day data
For Fox News, special coverage of the Senate impeachment hearing was +55% in total viewers and +21% in A25-54 versus the first day of the Impeachment hearings in the House of Reps.
When compared to coverage of the first day of former President Clinton’s Senate impeachment trial on Jan. 7, 1999 (12 – 2 p.m. ET), FNC garnered larger increases than the other cable newsers in both total viewers (2.65 million vs. 301,000) and A25-54 (394,000 vs. 149,000). This just goes to show the general growth of Fox News (and cable news as a whole) over the past 20+ years.
Speaking of the 1999 Pres. Clinton impeachment trial – MSNBC averaged 302,000 total viewers on Jan. 7 1999 from 12 – 2 p.m. ET, just +1,000 more than Fox News. However, FNC beat MSNBC in the A25-54 demo during that time period, 149,000 vs. 132,000.
CNN was +10% yesterday in total viewers vs. day 1 of the 1999 trial (1.44 million vs. 1.30 million), and +40% among adults 25-54 vs. day 1 of the 1999 trial (383,000 vs. 273,000).
It’s worth remembering streaming viewing is not included in these figures, and it’s very likely that many working Americans have been watching the trial on computers or other devices. Additionally, the figures do not include Americans who were watching on non-Nielsen-rated networks like PBS or C-SPAN.