Q4 ’21 Cable Ranker: The Five Leads Fox News to Another No. 1 Ranking in Total Day Viewers

New quarter, same result: Fox News Channel was the most-watched basic cable network in the 24-hour daypart for the final quarter of 2021.

According to live-plus-same-day data from Nielsen, FNC averaged 1.44 million total viewers across the 24-hour day time period (total day). That’s +6% from Q3 2021, and -21% from Q4 of ’20. Fox News also averaged 2.37 million total viewers in primetime, No. 2 on basic cable (behind ESPN, which averaged 2.63 million). Fox’s 2.37 million average is less than -1% from Q3 ’21 and -37% from Q4 of ’20, which was a highly-rated quarter featuring a presidential election.

FNC also averaged 366,000 adults 25-54 in primetime in Q4 ’21, No. 3 on basic cable (behind ESPN and TBS). The network fell -3% from Q3 ’21 and -50% from Q4 ’20. Additionally, Fox averaged 237,000 adults 25-54 in total day in Q4 ’21, which is +4% from what the network posted in Q3 ’21 and -32% from Q4 ’20. Fox News was ranked No. 2 in total day adults 25-54 in Q4 ’21 (behind ESPN).

Elsewhere in the cable news universe, MSNBC averaged 672,000 total viewers across the 24-hour day time period (No. 4 on basic cable). That’s a -9% drop from Q3 ’21 and -53% from Q4 of ’20. The NBCU cable newser was No. 5 in total primetime viewers this past quarter, averaging 1.16 million. That’s -8 from Q3 ’21, and -53% from Q4 of ’20, which was a huge quarter for the network that featured a presidential election campaign.

MSNBC averaged 138,000 adults 25-54 in primetime, which is -14% from Q3 ’21, and -69% from Q4 ’20. It was tied with CNN as the No. 27 basic cable network in Q4 ’21 in the measurement. Additionally, MSNBC averaged just 77,000 adults 25-54 in total day in Q4 ’21, which is -18% from what the network averaged in the daypart in Q3 ’21, and -69% from Q4 ’20. MSNBC was ranked No. 28 in total day adults 25-54 in Q4 ’21.

CNN saw more declines than its cable news counterparts. The network averaged 492,000 total viewers across the 24-hour day time period (total day) in Q4 ’21, which places it at No. 6 on basic cable. The 492,000 is -18% from what the network averaged in Q3 ’21 and -67% from the Q4 of ’20. CNN also averaged 642,000 total viewers in primetime, placing it at No. 16. The 642,000 average is -22% from Q3 ’21, and -73% from Q4 of ’20, which had been a phenomenal quarter for the network featuring a presidential election campaign.

Like MSNBC, CNN also averaged 138,000 adults 25-54 in primetime in Q4 ’21. That’s -27% from Q3 ’21, and -81% from Q4 ’20. It was the No. 27 on basic cable in the measurement. Additionally, CNN averaged 103,000 adults 25-54 in total day in Q4 ’21, which is -21% from what the network averaged in the daypart in Q3 ’21 and -75% from Q4 ’20. It was ranked No. 19 in total day adults 25-54 in Q4 ’21.

CNN and MSNBC lost viewers as 2021 continued. That wasn’t true for Fox News, which continues to attract more viewers, especially in total day, as the new administration settles in. Fox News also averaged more total viewers in Q4 than CNN and MSNBC combined.

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 a full quarter. 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 Special Report with Bret Baier and The Ingraham Angle rounding out the top 5.

Q4 2021 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen live-same-day data):

TOTAL DAY	Fox News	MSNBC	CNN
• Total Viewers:	1,444,000	672,000	492,000
• A25-54:	237,000	77,000	103,000

PRIME	Fox News	MSNBC	CNN
• Total Viewers:	2,366,000	1,163,000	642,000
• A25-54:	366,000	138,000	138,000

Below, the basic cable network rankers for Q4, 2021. The first one is sorted by average total viewers, largest to smallest audience. The second is sorted by adults 25-54, largest to smallest audience.

	Q4 2021
Program Based Dayparts, LIVE+SD, ranked on P2+
	M-Su 08:00PM-11:00PM			M-Su 06:00AM-06:00AM
Rank	Net	P2+(000)	Rank	Net	P2+ (000)
1	ESPN	2,628	1	FOX NEWS CHANNEL	1,444
2	FOX NEWS CHANNEL	2,366	2	ESPN	859
3	TBS NETWORK	1,300	3	HALLMARK CHANNEL	738
4	HALLMARK CHANNEL	1,296	4	MSNBC	672
5	MSNBC	1,163	5	HOME AND GARDEN TV	522
6	HOME AND GARDEN TV	897	6	CNN	492
7	TLC	815	7	TBS NETWORK	485
8	NFL NETWORK	808	8	INSP	440
9	INSP	766	9	FOOD NETWORK	438
10	FOOD NETWORK	710	10	INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY	428
10	PARAMOUNT	710	11	TV LAND	376
12	TURNER NETWORK TELEVISION	709	12	HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES	368
13	DISCOVERY CHANNEL	682	13	USA NETWORK	358
14	HISTORY	651	14	TURNER NETWORK TELEVISION	357
14	USA NETWORK	651	15	HISTORY	354
16	CNN	642	16	LIFETIME TELEVISION	339
17	FREEFORM	619	17	PARAMOUNT	338
18	LIFETIME TELEVISION	571	18	FREEFORM	322
19	HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES	569	19	NICKELODEON	316
20	INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY	546	20	TLC	306
21	BRAVO	504	21	A&E NETWORK	298
22	TV LAND	490	22	GSN	294
23	AMC	479	23	DISCOVERY CHANNEL	288
24	FOX SPORTS 1	475	24	WETV	262
25	A&E NETWORK	474	25	NFL NETWORK	251
26	ESPN2	448	26	AMC	249
27	FX	438	27	FX	237
28	WETV	416	28	OXYGEN MEDIA	214
29	GSN	369	29	HLN	205
30	SYFY	355	30	SYFY	196
31	BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TV	339	31	DISNEY CHANNEL	191
32	NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC	331	32	COMEDY CENTRAL	190
33	ANIMAL PLANET	304	33	BRAVO	189
34	TRAVEL CHANNEL	291	34	ANIMAL PLANET	185
35	NICK-AT-NITE	289	34	BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TV	185
36	OXYGEN MEDIA	275	34	MTV	185
37	ADULT SWIM	270	37	DISNEY JUNIOR	184
37	COMEDY CENTRAL	270	37	TRAVEL CHANNEL	184
39	MTV	256	39	ESPN2	183
40	E!	237	40	FOX SPORTS 1	173
41	CMT	227	41	NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC	170
42	FXX	226	42	NICK JR	157
43	LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK	223	43	LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK	150
44	DISNEY JUNIOR	217	43	SUNDANCE TV	150
45	SUNDANCE TV	211	45	CMT	145
46	FETV	209	46	E!	141
47	HLN	208	47	CNBC	140
48	DISNEY CHANNEL	206	48	FXX	128
49	OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK	202	49	NAT GEO WILD	125
50	IFC TV	189	49	OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK	125
50	VH1	189	51	VH1	124
52	SCIENCE	187	52	NEWSMAX TV	121
53	BBC-AMERICA	180	53	SCIENCE	120
54	NICK JR	179	54	THE CARTOON NETWORK	118
55	NAT GEO WILD	177	55	MOTOR TREND	117
56	MOTOR TREND	176	56	FETV	116
57	CNBC	169	57	THE WEATHER CHANNEL	111
57	THE CARTOON NETWORK	169	58	POP	109
59	HBO PRIME	163	59	BBC-AMERICA	103
60	NEWSMAX TV	155	60	FOX BUSINESS NETWORK	97
61	TUDN	152	61	TRUTV	96
62	TRUTV	143	62	IFC TV	92
63	DIY NETWORK	140	63	DIY NETWORK	91
64	POP	133	64	NEWSNATION	87
65	THE WEATHER CHANNEL	127	65	UP	84
66	UP	120	66	HBO PRIME	77
67	REELZCHANNEL	111	67	NBC SPORTS NETWORK	73
68	COOKING CHANNEL	105	68	HALLMARK DRAMA	71
69	TV ONE	99	69	COOKING CHANNEL	69
70	SHOWTIME PRIME	97	69	REELZCHANNEL	69
71	NBA-TV	96	71	TV ONE	67
72	FX MOVIE CHANNEL	91	72	FX MOVIE CHANNEL	64
72	SMITHSONIAN	91	72	NICKTOONS	64
74	HALLMARK DRAMA	90	74	SMITHSONIAN	63
75	GALAVISION	88	75	BOOMERANG	52
75	NBC SPORTS NETWORK	88	76	DISNEY XD	50
77	BIG TEN NETWORK	84	77	GOLF CHANNEL	49
78	ESPNU	78	78	SHOWTIME PRIME	48
79	STARZ PRIMARY	72	79	FYI	47
80	FYI	70	79	TUDN	47
80	VICE	70	81	AMERICAN HEROES CHANNEL	44
82	MLB NETWORK	67	81	OVATION	44
83	NICKTOONS	66	83	BIG TEN NETWORK	41
84	BOOMERANG	65	83	VICE	41
85	DISNEY XD	62	85	MLB NETWORK	40
85	RFD-TV	62	86	GAC FAMILY	37
87	FOX DEPORTES	61	86	STARZ PRIMARY	37
88	DISCOVERY EN ESPANOL	60	88	MTV2	35
88	UNIVERSO	60	88	NBA-TV	35
90	AMERICAN HEROES CHANNEL	57	88	STARZ ENCORE PRIMARY	35
91	OVATION	55	88	TEENNICK	35
92	STARZ ENCORE PRIMARY	52	92	ESPNU	34
93	GAC FAMILY	51	92	GALAVISION	34
93	GOLF CHANNEL	51	92	LOGO	34
95	FOX BUSINESS NETWORK	50	95	DESTINATION AMERICA	33
95	MTV2	50	96	UNIVERSAL KIDS	32
97	DESTINATION AMERICA	47	96	UNIVERSO	32
98	DISCOVERY FAMILY CHANNEL	41	98	DISCOVERY EN ESPANOL	28
99	LOGO	40	99	BET HER	21
99	NEWSNATION	40	99	DISCOVERY LIFE CHANNEL	21
101	BET HER	38	99	RFD-TV	21
102	AXS TV	37	102	BABY FIRST TV	20
103	DISCOVERY LIFE CHANNEL	35	103	DISCOVERY FAMILY CHANNEL	19
104	TEENNICK	31	103	TENNIS CHANNEL	19
105	DISCOVERY FAMILIA	30	105	FOX DEPORTES	18
106	THE COWBOY CHANNEL	28	106	MAXPRIME	17
107	TENNIS CHANNEL	26	107	AXS TV	16
107	UNIVERSAL KIDS	26	108	DISCOVERY FAMILIA	13
109	MAXPRIME	25	109	ESPN DEPORTES	11
110	BABY FIRST TV	24	109	FOX SPORTS 2	11
110	ESPN DEPORTES	24	111	THE COWBOY CHANNEL	9
112	FOX SPORTS 2	16	112	FUSE	8
113	JUSTICE CENTRAL	13	112	JUSTICE CENTRAL	8
114	CNN EN ESPANOL	12	114	ACCUWEATHER	7
115	FUSE	10	114	CLEO TV	7
115	OLYMPIC CHANNEL	10	116	PURSUIT CHANNEL	6
117	CLEO TV	9	117	CNN EN ESPANOL	5
118	PURSUIT CHANNEL	8	117	OLYMPIC CHANNEL	5
119	ACCUWEATHER	7	119	BEIN SPORT ESPANOL	2
120	BLACK NEWS CHANNEL	4	119	BLACK NEWS CHANNEL	2
120	COMEDY.TV	4	119	COMEDY.TV	2
122	BEIN SPORT ESPANOL	3	122	BEIN SPORT	1
123	BEIN SPORT	2

	Q4 2021 (Nielsen Live+SD)
	M-Su 08:00PM-11:00PM			M-Su 06:00AM-06:00AM
Rank	Net	P25-54(000)	Rank	Net	P25-54 (000)
1	ESPN	1,132	1	ESPN	380
2	TBS NETWORK	525	2	FOX NEWS CHANNEL	237
3	FOX NEWS CHANNEL	366	3	TBS NETWORK	212
4	NFL NETWORK	350	4	HALLMARK CHANNEL	176
5	TURNER NETWORK TELEVISION	335	5	FOOD NETWORK	155
6	FREEFORM	279	5	TURNER NETWORK TELEVISION	155
7	HALLMARK CHANNEL	268	7	INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY	151
8	FOOD NETWORK	266	8	HOME AND GARDEN TV	145
9	TLC	263	9	FREEFORM	140
10	USA NETWORK	252	10	USA NETWORK	129
11	PARAMOUNT	247	11	TV LAND	121
12	BRAVO	237	12	PARAMOUNT	118
12	HOME AND GARDEN TV	237	13	COMEDY CENTRAL	114
14	DISCOVERY CHANNEL	225	14	A&E NETWORK	113
15	AMC	207	15	NFL NETWORK	110
16	FX	200	16	NICKELODEON	108
17	INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY	188	17	FX	107
18	ESPN2	184	18	AMC	106
19	A&E NETWORK	179	19	CNN	103
20	HISTORY	177	19	TLC	103
21	FOX SPORTS 1	170	21	MTV	99
22	COMEDY CENTRAL	160	22	HISTORY	96
23	ADULT SWIM	156	23	DISCOVERY CHANNEL	92
24	MTV	149	24	BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TV	87
24	SYFY	149	25	LIFETIME TELEVISION	85
26	LIFETIME TELEVISION	148	26	BRAVO	84
27	CNN	138	27	SYFY	80
27	MSNBC	138	28	MSNBC	77
29	BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TV	136	29	ESPN2	75
29	FXX	136	30	FXX	73
31	TV LAND	132	31	WETV	66
32	NICK-AT-NITE	122	32	TRAVEL CHANNEL	65
33	WETV	112	33	FOX SPORTS 1	64
34	E!	108	33	OXYGEN MEDIA	64
35	TRAVEL CHANNEL	101	35	E!	62
36	VH1	97	35	VH1	62
37	NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC	89	37	HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES	60
38	HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES	86	37	HLN	60
38	TUDN	86	39	DISNEY JUNIOR	58
40	OXYGEN MEDIA	82	40	DISNEY CHANNEL	54
41	TRUTV	80	41	ANIMAL PLANET	51
42	ANIMAL PLANET	75	42	NICK JR	50
43	CMT	74	43	NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC	49
44	INSP	71	43	TRUTV	49
45	LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK	66	45	CMT	48
45	THE CARTOON NETWORK	66	46	LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK	47
47	DISNEY JUNIOR	64	47	GSN	46
47	IFC TV	64	48	THE CARTOON NETWORK	43
49	GSN	63	49	INSP	42
50	BBC-AMERICA	61	50	MOTOR TREND	36
50	OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK	61	50	POP	36
52	HBO PRIME	60	52	BBC-AMERICA	35
53	DISNEY CHANNEL	59	52	OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK	35
53	HLN	59	52	SCIENCE	35
55	MOTOR TREND	57	55	IFC TV	34
56	NICK JR	55	55	SUNDANCE TV	34
57	SUNDANCE TV	54	57	CNBC	32
58	SCIENCE	50	57	TV ONE	32
59	CNBC	49	59	HBO PRIME	29
60	GALAVISION	45	60	NAT GEO WILD	27
61	TV ONE	43	61	TUDN	26
62	POP	42	62	NBC SPORTS NETWORK	25
63	NBA-TV	39	63	COOKING CHANNEL	24
64	COOKING CHANNEL	38	64	FX MOVIE CHANNEL	22
64	NAT GEO WILD	38	64	THE WEATHER CHANNEL	22
66	FX MOVIE CHANNEL	34	66	REELZCHANNEL	21
66	SHOWTIME PRIME	34	67	UP	20
68	REELZCHANNEL	33	68	DIY NETWORK	19
69	VICE	31	69	BOOMERANG	18
70	STARZ PRIMARY	30	69	FYI	18
71	DIY NETWORK	29	69	NICKTOONS	18
72	FYI	28	72	GALAVISION	17
73	BIG TEN NETWORK	27	72	NEWSMAX TV	17
73	FOX DEPORTES	27	72	SHOWTIME PRIME	17
73	NEWSMAX TV	27	72	VICE	17
73	THE WEATHER CHANNEL	27	76	STARZ PRIMARY	16
77	UP	26	77	DISNEY XD	15
78	NBC SPORTS NETWORK	25	77	MTV2	15
78	UNIVERSO	25	79	LOGO	14
80	ESPNU	24	79	NBA-TV	14
81	DISCOVERY EN ESPANOL	23	79	STARZ ENCORE PRIMARY	14
82	MTV2	22	82	BIG TEN NETWORK	13
83	BOOMERANG	21	82	HALLMARK DRAMA	13
83	STARZ ENCORE PRIMARY	21	82	NEWSNATION	13
85	MLB NETWORK	20	82	UNIVERSO	13
86	DISNEY XD	19	86	FOX BUSINESS NETWORK	12
86	NICKTOONS	19	86	SMITHSONIAN	12
88	SMITHSONIAN	18	88	FETV	11
89	FETV	16	88	MLB NETWORK	11
89	HALLMARK DRAMA	16	88	TEENNICK	11
91	BET HER	15	91	AMERICAN HEROES CHANNEL	10
92	LOGO	14	91	BET HER	10
93	DESTINATION AMERICA	13	91	DISCOVERY EN ESPANOL	10
93	ESPN DEPORTES	13	91	ESPNU	10
95	AMERICAN HEROES CHANNEL	12	91	GOLF CHANNEL	10
95	DISCOVERY FAMILY CHANNEL	12	91	UNIVERSAL KIDS	10
95	GOLF CHANNEL	12	97	DESTINATION AMERICA	9
98	DISCOVERY FAMILIA	11	98	FOX DEPORTES	8
98	MAXPRIME	11	99	BABY FIRST TV	7
98	OVATION	11	99	ESPN DEPORTES	7
101	TEENNICK	10	99	GAC FAMILY	7
102	AXS TV	9	99	MAXPRIME	7
102	GAC FAMILY	9	103	DISCOVERY FAMILY CHANNEL	6
104	BABY FIRST TV	8	103	OVATION	6
104	FOX BUSINESS NETWORK	8	105	DISCOVERY FAMILIA	5
104	UNIVERSAL KIDS	8	105	DISCOVERY LIFE CHANNEL	5
107	DISCOVERY LIFE CHANNEL	7	107	AXS TV	4
107	NEWSNATION	7	107	CLEO TV	4
109	THE COWBOY CHANNEL	6	107	FUSE	4
110	CLEO TV	5	110	FOX SPORTS 2	3
110	FUSE	5	110	TENNIS CHANNEL	3
110	RFD-TV	5	112	ACCUWEATHER	2
110	TENNIS CHANNEL	5	112	JUSTICE CENTRAL	2
114	FOX SPORTS 2	4	112	PURSUIT CHANNEL	2
115	CNN EN ESPANOL	3	112	RFD-TV	2
115	JUSTICE CENTRAL	3	112	THE COWBOY CHANNEL	2
115	OLYMPIC CHANNEL	3	117	BEIN SPORT	1
116	PURSUIT CHANNEL	3	117	BEIN SPORT ESPANOL	1
119	ACCUWEATHER	1	117	CNN EN ESPANOL	1
119	BEIN SPORT	1	117	OLYMPIC CHANNEL	1
119	BEIN SPORT ESPANOL	1
119	COMEDY.TV	1

*Prime excludes networks not in majority of daypart 50%+ in the prime daypart
Total Day excludes networks not in majority of daypart 50%+ in the total day daypart
Coverage area ratings are within each cable network’s universe.
As some networks program different portions of the day, the DUR column indicates each network’s duration in minutes for the measurement period and the daypart.
This report includes only those cable networks who supply program names to the industry.