A new year, same huge ratings for Fox News Channel.
In Jan. 2020, FNC averaged 1.7 million viewers in the 6 a.m. – 6 a.m. daypart, marking 43 consecutive months as the most-watched basic cable network in that daypart. The 1.7 million represents the network’s largest total day audience since Feb. 2017.
Fox News averaged 2.9 million total viewers in prime time in Jan. 2020, which is the network’s largest prime time audience since Nov. 2016, the month of the most recent presidential election.
The network also released a statement today celebrating 18 consecutive years as the most-watched cable news network. FNC first became No. 1 in total viewers at the end of the Nielsen month in Jan. 2002.
Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and Fox News president & executive editor Jay Wallace: “For 18 years, more viewers have turned to FOX News Channel for its unrivaled news and opinion coverage than any other cable news network and we are proud of our strong team both on and off the air as we offer our audience the most dynamic programming in the country.”
Compared with Jan. 2019, Fox News was +33% in total prime time viewership, +27% in total day viewership, +23% in the prime time demo, and +20% in the total day demo. Double digit year-over-year audience growth is very rare, but FNC managed to pull it off.
Here are the ratings for Jan. 2020 (Nielsen Live + Same Day data):
- Prime time (Mon-Sun): 2,923,000 total viewers / 470,000 A25-54
- Total Day (Mon-Sun): 1,690,000 total viewers / 294,000 A25-54
On the programming front – Tucker Carlson Tonight, Hannity, The Ingraham Angle, and Fox News @ Night with Shannon Bream all delivered their largest audiences ever. The first 3 were the top 3 cable news shows of the month in both Total Viewers and in Adults 25-54.
The weekends were huge for Fox News as well. The following FNC weekend programs posted their largest monthly audiences ever:
- Cavuto Live at 10 a.m. ET on Saturdays
- Watters World at 8 p.m. ET on Saturdays
- Justice with Judge Jeanine at 9 p.m. ET
- On Sunday, Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo 10 a.m. ET
- The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton at 9 p.m. ET
In short, Jan. 2020 was a pretty flawless month for Fox News, ratings-wise.
Lastly, FBN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight, Varney & Co. and Trish Regan Prime Time were the 3-most-watched business news shows for January, and also delivered double-digit total audience growth year over year.