CBS Face the Nation and ABC’s This Week split first place in the Sunday show ratings race on June 6, 2021.
Moderated by John Dickerson (filling in for Margaret Brennan, who’s on maternity leave) Face the Nation continued to average the most total viewers of any Sunday public affairs show, drawing an average of 2.72 million total viewers this past Sunday. The broadcast drew 452,000 adults 25-54, fewer than ABC’s Sunday morning politics offering, but just +1,000 more than its NBC competitor.
Face the Nation continues to average the most total viewers of any Sunday show, season to-date.
ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos finished second behind CBS in total viewers, averaging 2.46 million, while beating its competition in the key A25-54 demo on June 6.
That’s now three of the past four Sundays that the ABC offering has ranked No. 1 in the advertiser-friendly demo, and back-to-back weeks that ABC has defeated NBC in total viewers.
In addition to winning the demo this past Sunday, This Week is in the midst of its most-watched season in 4 years – since the 2016-17 season.
NBC’s Meet the Press with Chuck Todd took a rare third place finish, not only in total viewers (2.31 million) but also in the key A25-54 demo that it has dominated in recent years (451,000). In fact, Meet the Press has ranked No. 1 in the genre among adults 25-54 for six straight years.
Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace averaged just 966,000 total viewers and 246,000 A25-54 viewers on Fox Broadcasting. The cable replays delivered a combined 1.06 million total viewers and 196,000 A25-54 viewers. Altogether, that’s roughly 2.03 million total and 442,000 A25-54 demo viewers on June 6.
All four Sunday shows were down double digit percent from the comparable Sunday in 2020, both among total viewers and the key A25-54 demo. NBC and Fox posted the most severe year-over-year losses.
June 6, 2021 Sunday Show Ratings (Nielsen live + same-day):
| Network | Program | Total Viewers | A25-54 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBS | Face the Nation (1/2 hr) | 2,717,000 | 452,000 |
| ABC | This Week | 2,459,000 | 517,000 |
| NBC | Meet the Press | 2,310,000 | 451,000 |
| FOX | Fox News Sunday | 966,000 | 246,000 |
Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI (Total Viewers and Adults 25-54); Live + SD for 6/6/21, 5/30/21 and 6/7/20 or as dated. Most Current: 2020 -2021 Season (9/21/20 – 6/6/21) and 2019 -2020 Season (9/23/19 – 6/7/20). *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.