Another quarter, another Nielsen ratings win for Fox News Channel. FNC was the most-watched basic cable network in primetime and in total day for the second quarter of 2022.
According to live-plus-same-day data from Nielsen, Fox News averaged 1.45 million total viewers across the 24-hour day time period (total day) in Q2. That’s -10% from Q1 2021, but +22% from Q2 of ’21. Fox News also averaged 2.27 million total viewers in primetime, which is than -11% from Q1, but +4% from Q2 of 2021.
FNC also averaged 345,000 adults 25-54 in primetime in Q2 ’22, No. 3 on basic cable behind TNT and ESPN, both of which carried the highly-rated NBA playoffs. The network fell -20% from Q1 and -1% in the key demo from Q2 of last year. Additionally, Fox averaged 229,000 adults 25-54 in total day in Q2, which is -19% from what the network posted in Q1, but +12% from Q2 of 2021. Fox News was ranked No. 3 in total day adults 25-54 in Q4 ’21 (behind the aforementioned TNT and ESPN).
Q1 of this year featured wall-to-wall coverage of the Ukraine war that lasted for weeks. That, compounded with the fact more Americans traditionally watch TV news in Q1 than in Q2, Fox’s quarter-to-quarter decline isn’t shocking. The year-over-year growth, however, is worth touting.
Elsewhere in the cable news universe, MSNBC averaged 684,000 total viewers across the 24-hour day time period (No. 2 on basic cable). That’s a -4% drop from Q1 and a -19% drop from Q2 of last year. The NBCU cable newser was No. 4 in total primetime viewers this past quarter, averaging 1.13 million in the daypart. That’s -6% from Q1, and -23% from Q2 of last year.
The story is worse for MSNBC when it comes to drawing adults 25-54. The network averaged 121,000 adults 25-54 in primetime, which is -19% from Q1 and -39% from Q2 of last year. The network ranked No. 27 in the primetime demo for Q2. Additionally, MSNBC averaged just 77,000 adults 25-54 in total day in Q2, which is -11% from what the network averaged in the daypart in Q1, and -33% from Q2 of last year. MSNBC was ranked No. 23 in total day adults 25-54 in Q2 ’22.
CNN saw more declines than its cable news counterparts, as expected when there’s not a lengthy, major breaking news event on the scale of Ukraine to cover. The network averaged 521,000 total viewers across the 24-hour day time period (total day) in Q2, which places it at No. 6 on basic cable. The 521,000 is -20% from what the network averaged in Q1 and -20% from Q2 of last year. CNN also averaged 670,000 total viewers in primetime, placing it at No. 12. The 670,000 average is -22% from Q1, and -27% from Q2 of last year.
CNN also averaged 155,000 adults 25-54 in primetime in Q2. That’s -33% from Q1 and -31% from Q2 of last year. It was the No. 16 on basic cable in the measurement. Additionally, CNN averaged 113,000 adults 25-54 in total day in Q2 which is -28% from what the network averaged in Q1 and -29% from Q2 of last year. Despite a double digit decline, CNN still ranked among basic cable’s top 10 in adults 25-54 across the total day (No. 10).
On the programming front, Fox News’ The Five was the most-watched cable news show of the fourth quarter, averaging 3.2 million total viewers in the 5 p.m. hour. This represents the first non-primetime program has placed No. 1 in average total viewers for three consecutive quarters. The panel program ranked No. 2 on cable news in the key A25-54 demo behind Tucker Carlson Tonight. TCT was the second-most-watched show on cable news, followed by Hannity, Jesse Watters Primetime and Special Report with Bret Baier.
Q2 ’22 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen live-same-day data):
TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
---|---|---|---|
• Total Viewers: | 1,450,000 | 684,000 | 521,000 |
• A25-54: | 229,000 | 77,000 | 113,000 |
PRIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
---|---|---|---|
• Total Viewers: | 2,267,000 | 1,130,000 | 670,000 |
• A25-54: | 345,000 | 121,000 | 155,000 |
Below, the full cable network rankers. The first one is sorted by most to fewest average total viewers and the second is sorted by most to fewest adults 25-54.