As was true in Q2 one year ago, Sean Hannity was the top cable news host in Q2 2019 across all relevant categories. Rachel Maddow was No. 1 among adults 25-54 in Q1 of this year, but Hannity was able to reclaim the throne in that important demo this quarter.
Maddow, who finished No. 2 across the board in Q2 2018, finished third this past quarter behind Tucker Carlson Tonight in the key measurements.
Speaking of Carlson, his 8 p.m. show posted +5% growth in total viewers vs. Q2 2018. The network’s 5 p.m. show, aptly named The Five, also saw year-over-year growth, ironically enough, of +5%.
No other top 10 cable news programs posted year-over-year total audience growth.
As a network, Fox News had seven of the top 10 programs in cable news, and eight of the top 10 among adults 25-54.
MSNBC’s All in with Chris Hayes slipped out of the A25-54 top 10 after finishing among the top 10 in the demo during Q2 of last year. However, the MSNBC 8 p.m. show finished No. 9 this quarter in total viewers.
24 of the 25-most-watched cable news shows for the quarter aired either on Fox News or MSNBC. 20 of the top 25 programs among adults 25-54 aired on either Fox News.
CNN had five shows fall within cable news’ top 25 among adults 25-54, with Cuomo Prime Time leading the way as CNN’s No. 1 program for the quarter. Hosted by Chris Cuomo, the 9 p.m. program ranked No. 25 in cable news in total viewers (910,000) and No. 15 among adults 25-54 (223,000).
Here, a look at the top 10 cable news shows of the quarter:
TOTAL VIEWERS (Nielsen Live+SD data) / vs. Q2 ’18 / # of Telecasts
- Hannity (3,151,000) / -6% / 54 telecasts
- Tucker Carlson Tonight (2,822,000) / +5% / 62 telecasts
- The Rachel Maddow Show (2,561,000) / -7% / 61 telecasts
- The Ingraham Angle (2,428,000) / -9% / 60 telecasts
- The Five (2,336,000) / +5% / 64 telecasts
- The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (2,010,000) / -8% / 60 telecasts
- Special Report with Bret Baier (2,008,000) / -4% / 65 telecasts
- The Story with Martha MacCallum (1,760,000) / -11% / 65 telecasts
- All In with Chris Hayes (1,552,000) / -12% / 62 telecasts
- America’s Newsroom (1,531,000) / -6% / 197 telecasts
ADULTS 25-54 (Nielsen Live+SD data) / vs. Q2 ’18 / # of Telecasts
- Hannity (505,000) / -26% / 54 telecasts
- Tucker Carlson Tonight (477,000) / -12% / 62 telecasts
- The Rachel Maddow Show (396,000) / -29% / 61 telecasts
- The Ingraham Angle (387,000) / -29% / 60 telecasts
- The Five (355,000) / -12% / 64 telecasts
- Special Report with Bret Baier (324,000) / -18% / 65 telecasts
- The Story with Martha MacCallum (299,000) / -23% / 65 telecasts
- The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (280,000) / -33% / 60 telecasts
- Fox News @ Night with Shannon Bream (274,000) / -25% / 67 telecasts
- Fox & Friends (268,000) / -19% / 195 telecasts
Cable news morning show ratings: Q2 ’19 (Nielsen live-plus-same-day data)
Total Viewers / A25-54
- Fox & Friends : 1,435,000/ 268,000
- Morning Joe: 1,033,000 / 164,000
- New Day: 459,000 / 125,000
Q2 2019 Cable News Show Ranker (Total Viewers)