Another quarter, another Nielsen ratings win for Fox News Channel. According to live-plus-same-day data from Nielsen, FNC was the most-watched basic cable network in total day (6 a.m.-6 a.m.) and in primetime (8-11 p.m.) for the third quarter of 2022.
Fox News averaged 1.45 million total viewers across the 24-hour day time period (total day) in Q3, which is primarily comprised of summer months. Far and away more than any other basic cable network, it also happens to be -3% from the most recent quarter (Q2 ’22), but +4% from the year-ago quarter (Q3 of ’21). Fox News also averaged 2.19 million total viewers in primetime in Q3, No. 1 on all of basic cable, but -3% from Q2, and -8% from Q3 of ’21.
Nevertheless, Fox News has averaged more total viewers than CNN and MSNBC for 83 consecutive quarters. Quite a streak.
How did the network fare in Q3 when it came to Adults 25-54? Led by Tucker Carlson, FNC averaged 294,000 adults 25-54 in primetime, No. 2 on all of basic cable behind top-ranked ESPN, which averaged 504,000 viewers in primetime and 225,000 viewers in total day.
Fox’s 294,000 A25-54 average in primetime is -15% from what the network averaged in Q2 and -22% from Q3 of last year. ESPN’s 504,000 A25-54 average in primetime is -30% from Q2. Additionally, Fox averaged 201,000 adults 25-54 in total day in Q3, a -12% drop-off from Q2 and -11% from Q3 of 2021. ESPN’s 225,000 A25-54 average in total day in Q3 is -18% from Q2.
ESPN averaged 1.26 million total primetime viewers and 543,000 total day viewers in Q3 of 2022, gains of +3% and +1%, respectively, versus Q3 of last year.
Back over to cable news, MSNBC was the second-most-watched basic cable network in Q3, averaged 783,000 total viewers across the 24-hour day time period and 1.27 million in primetime. The 783,000 represents +14% growth from Q2 and +6% growth from Q3 of last year, with the audience growth likely driven by Jan. 6 committee hearing coverage. The 1.27 million total viewer average in primetime is +13% from Q2 and +1% from Q3 of last year, despite not having Rachel Maddow on a Monday-Friday basis.
MSNBC averaged 127,000 adults 25-54 in primetime in Q3, which is No. 22 on basic cable, +5% from Q2 but -21% from Q3 of last year. Additionally, MSNBC averaged 85,000 adults 25-54 in total day in Q3, which is No. 17 on basic cable, +10% from Q2, and +2% from Q3 of last year.
All in all, a relatively good quarter by MSNBC standards.
CNN averaged 558,000 total viewers across the 24-hour day time period (total day) in Q3, which places it at No. 3 on basic cable. The 558,000 is +7% from what the network averaged in Q2 but -7% from Q3 of last year. The network averaged 110,000 adults 25-54 in total day in Q3, No. 9 on all of basic cable, -3% from what the network averaged in Q2 and -15% from Q3 of last year.
Shifting to primetime, CNN also averaged 717,000 total viewers in the daypart, placing it at No. 8 on basic cable . The 717,000 average is +7% from Q2, but -13% from Q3 of last year. The network also averaged 150,000 adults 25-54 in primetime in Q3. That’s No. 14 on basic cable, -3% from Q2 and -20% from Q3 of last year.
Yes, there are year-over-year losses in the demo, but finishing among the top 10 in total day and primetime viewers is nothing to sneeze at.
On the programming front, Fox News’ The Five was the most-watched cable news show of the third quarter, averaging 3.295 million total viewers in the 5 p.m. hour. The Five becomes the first non-primetime program to rank No. 1 in average total viewers for four consecutive quarters. The panel news talk program ranked No. 2 on cable news in the key A25-54 demo (418,000) behind Tucker Carlson Tonight, who averaged 468,000 viewers from the measurement. TCT was also the second-most-watched show on cable news (3.15 million), followed by Jesse Watters Primetime (2.73 million), Hannity (2.68 million) and Special Report with Bret Baier (2.34 million) rounding out the top five.
Q3 ’22 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen live-same-day data):
| PRIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 2,189,000 | 1,277,000 | 717,000 |
| • A25-54: | 294,000 | 127,000 | 150,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,406,000 | 783,000 | 558,000 |
| • A25-54: | 201,000 | 85,000 | 110,000 |
Below, the full cable network rankers, with Fox News and ESPN topping the charts in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54, respectively.