Ratings

These Are the Cable News Show Rankers for 2023

By A.J. Katz 

To no one’s surprise, Fox News, once again, dominated the year-end cable news program rankings.

Tucker Carlson Tonight went off the air in late-April, but still averaged the largest total audience and most Adults 25-54 of any cable news show this year, 3.3 million and 446,000, respectively.

However, if one focuses exclusively on current daily cable news programming, The Five is No. 1 both in total viewers and among A25-54 viewers for 2023 (2.89 million and 301,000, respectively).

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TOTAL VIEWERS

After The Five, Jesse Watters Primetime is the second most watched regularly-scheduled cable news program for 2023 (2.49 million), ahead of Hannity (2.36 million), with Special Report with Bret Baier (2.07 million) and The Ingraham Angle (1.96 million) following. Fox News wins the 9 p.m. hour in 2023, despite MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show actually averaging more total viewers than Hannity (2.44 million vs. 2.36 million). However, TRMS only airs once per week (Mondays), and Hannity dominated MSNBC’s Alex Wagner Tonight on Tuesdays through Fridays.

Overall, Fox News is home to 8 of the 10 most-watched regularly-scheduled daily cable news shows of 2023, including each of the top six.

Ranked on P2+ 2023 Cable News Programming
Rank Network PROGRAM NAME P2+(000) T/C
1 FOXN * TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT 3300 70
2 FOXN FIVE, THE 2891 243
3 FOXN JESSE WATTERS PRIMETIME 2490 200
4 MSNBC RACHEL MADDOW SHOW (Mondays) 2443 48
5 FOXN HANNITY 2359 202
6 FOXN SPECIAL RPT W/BRET BAIER 2066 252
7 FOXN INGRAHAM ANGLE, THE 1959 205
8 FOXN GUTFELD! 1854 220
9 CNN TRUMP ARREST/ARRAIGNMENT 1589 11
10 FOXN FOX NEWS TONIGHT 1567 56
11 MSNBC LAST WORD W/ L. ODONNELL 1560 247
11 FOXN OUTNUMBERED 1560 252
13 FOXN AMERICAS NEWSROOM 1507 504
14 MSNBC BEAT W/ARI MELBER 1500 261
15 MSNBC DEADLINE:WHITE HOUSE 1495 258
16 FOXN FAULKNER FOCUS, THE 1478 253
17 FOXN SUNDAY MORNING FUTURES 1461 52
18 MSNBC ALL IN W/ CHRIS HAYES 1430 232
19 MSNBC INSIDE W/ JEN PSAKI (Mondays) 1407 14
20 MSNBC ALEX WAGNER TONIGHT 1403 202
21 FOXN YOUR WORLD W/NEIL CAVUTO 1372 251
22 FOXN AMERICA REPORTS 1360 506
23 FOXN LIFE, LIBERTY AND LEVIN 1353 57
24 FOXN THE STORY WITH MARTHA MACCALLUM 1349 252
25 MSNBC REIDOUT 1254 250
26 FOXN * UNFILTERED W/DAN BONGINO 1223 14
27 CNN CNN SPECIAL COVERAGE 1198 33
28 FOXN CAVUTO LIVE 1190 98
29 FOXN SUNDAY NIGHT IN AMERICA W/ TREY GOWDY 1183 45
30 FOXN MEDIA BUZZ 1135 51
31 FOXN FOX & FRIENDS SATURDAY 1121 208
32 FOXN FOX AND FRIENDS 1115 753
33 FOXN FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY 1051 205
34 FOXN * NEXT REVOLUTION, THE 1038 17
35 MSNBC 11TH HOUR W/ S. RUHLE 1020 252
36 FOXN FOX NEWS AT NIGHT 1019 256
37 FOXN ONE NATION 1010 47
38 FOXN BIG WEEKEND SHOW, THE 992 62
39 MSNBC MORNING JOE 973 510
40 FOXN BIG SATURDAY SHOW, THE 967 23
41 FOXN FOX REPORT WITH JON SCOTT 932 123
42 MSNBC MSNBC SPECIAL COVERAGE 927 25
43 MSNB KATY TUR REPORTS 907 254
44 FOXN L. JONES CROSS COUNTRY 888 35
45 FOXN THE BIG SUNDAY SHOW 872 19
46 FOXN FOX NEWS LIVE 842 394
47 MSNBC ANA CABRERA REPORTS 830 184
48 MSNBC HALLIE JACKSON REPORTS 818 34
49 MSNBC INSIDE WITH JEN PSAKI 815 45
50 MSNBC CHRIS JANSING REPORTS 795 267
51 MSNBC MSNBC PRESS CONFERENCE 791 40
52 FOXN FOX NEWS SUNDAY 773 50
53 MSNBC ANDREA MITCHELL REPORTS 747 254
54 MSNBC MORNING JOE-SPC 730 16
55 CNN ANDERSON COOPER 360 729 302
56 FOXN FOX NEWS SATURDAY NIGHT 725 23
57 CNN ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT 716 273
58 FOXN JOURNAL EDITORIAL REPORT 715 50
59 MSNBC JOSE DIAZ-BALART REPORTS 709 252
60 CNN LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER 705 457
61 CNN FAREED ZAKARIA: GPS 691 48
62 CNN SITUATION ROOM 657 342
63 CNN SMERCONISH 647 48
64 CNN STATE OF THE UNION 631 58
65 CNN SOURCE W KAITLAN COLLINS 629 122
66 CNN * AT THIS HOUR 620 74
67 MSNBC VELSHI 613 101
68 CNN INSIDE POLITICS 611 300
69 MSNBC ALEX WITT REPORTS 603 109
70 MSNBC MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE 601 145
71 CNN CNN NEWS CENTRAL 594 1117
72 MSNBC SATURDAY SHOW W/J.CAPEHART 584 42
73 CNN CNN PRIMETIME 573 129
74 CNN CNN NEWSROOM 550 1196
75 CNN CNN NEWSROOM SPCL 541 13
76 MSNBC AYMAN 538 97
77 CNN NEWSNIGHT 535 49
78 MSNBC YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN REPRTS 493 98
79 CNN WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON 490 27
80 MSNBC SUNDAY SHOW W/J. CAPEHART 486 50
81 MSNBC MEHDI HASAN SHOW 483 41
82 FOXN FOX & FRIENDS FIRST 475 368
83 MSNBC POLITICS NATION W/ AL SHARPTON 462 97
84 MSNBC AMERCAN VOICES W/MENENDEZ 454 101
85 MSNBC KATIE PHANG SHOW 452 94
86 CNN CNN TONIGHT 442 323
87 CNN LAURA COATES LIVE 432 57
88 MSNBC SYMONE 427 97
89 CNN TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE 394 20
90 CNN CNN THIS MORNING WEEKEND 393 290
91 CNN CNN THIS MORNING 357 806
92 NMX ROB SCHMITT TONIGHT 350 265
93 MSNBC WAY TOO EARLY 344 255
94 MSNBC MORNING JOE WEEKEND 322 42
95 NMX ERIC BOLLING THE BALANCE 321 264
96 FBN KUDLOW 279 224
97 CNN HOW IT REALLY HAPPENED 270 12
98 HLN WEST WING, THE 265 61
99 FBN VARNEY & COMPANY 260 744
100 NMX GREG KELLY REPORTS 254 256
101 NMX CARL HIGBIE FRONTLINE 253 188
102 NMX RECORD WITH GRETA VAN SUS 250 263
103 NMX CHRIS SALCEDO SHOW, THE 239 264
104 CNBC MONEY MOVERS 238 14
105 CNN CNN NEWSROOM LIVE 233 1017
106 CNBC FAST MONEY HALFTIME RPRT 226 252
107 NMX CHRIS PLANTE RIGHT SQUAD 223 156
108 CNN EARLY START 213 243
109 CNBC SQUAWK ON THE STREET 203 254
109 MSNBC DATELINE 203 33
111 NMX NEWSLINE 200 99
112 NMX NATIONAL REPORT 192 267
112 HLN VENGEANCE: KILLER BESTIES 192 11
114 MSNBC SKY NEWS ON MSNBC 190 22
115 CNBC EXCHANGE, THE 188 252
116 NMX AMERICAN AGENDA 182 265
116 CNBC CLOSING BELL 182 508
118 NMX SATURDAY REPORT 174 53
118 CNBC POWER LUNCH 174 252
120 FBN EVENING EDIT, THE 168 251
121 FBN FOX BUSINESS TONIGHT 166 17
122 CNBC TECHCHECK 165 42
123 NMX AMERICA RIGHT NOW 163 52
123 FBN CAVUTO COAST TO COAST 163 268
125 NMX SPICER & CO 159 76
125 NMX JOHN BACHMAN NOW 159 166
125 CNBC FAST MONEY 159 253
125 FBN CLAMAN COUNTDOWN, THE 159 251
129 FBN COPS 157 29
130 NMX SUNDAY REPORT 154 33
131 FBN MAKING MONEY W/C.PAYNE 145 248
132 FBN BOTTOM LINE, THE 144 235
133 NWSN CUOMO 141 262
134 NMX SUNDAY AGENDA 138 33
134 FBN BIG MONEY SHOW, THE 138 231
136 NMX WAKE UP AMERICA 135 265
137 NMX COUNT; THE 134 48
138 NMX PRIME NEWS 131 91
139 CNBC MAD MONEY 129 221
140 CNBC BLOOD & MONEY 126 11
141 NMX SATURDAY AGENDA 122 53
142 NMX WAKE UP AMERICA WEEKEND 117 105
143 NMX LAND OF ISRAEL WITH JON V 116 11
143 CNBC OPTIONS ACTION 116 38
145 FBN MORNINGS WITH M.BARTIROMO 110 744
146 HLN CNN/CNN THIS MORNING WKND 109 291
147 CNBC SQUAWK BOX 108 256
148 FBN KENNEDY 104 87
149 NWSN DAN ABRAMS LIVE 98 249
150 NWSN NEWSNATION: RUSH HOUR 97 154
151 NWSN BANFIELD 90 263
152 CNBC LAST CALL 88 207
153 CNBC CNBC SPECIAL REPORT 87 33
154 FBN M. BARTIROMO’S WALL STREET 85 51
155 NWSN NEWSNATION PRIME 84 306
156 HLN CNN/CNN THIS MORNING 80 777
157 FBN AMERICAN BUILT 75 18
158 FBN BARRONS ROUNDTABLE 61 52
159 FBN WSJ AT LRGE W/GERRY BAKER 58 21
160 NWSN ON BALANCE W/ VITTERT 50 263
161 NWSN NEWSNATION NOW W/ MCSHANE 48 70
162 NWSN NEWSNATION NOW W/ BERLIE 47 180
163 NWSN ELIZABETH VARGAS REPORTS 42 194
164 NWSN NWSN LIVE W/ MARNI HUGHES 40 265
164 CNBC SQUAWK BOX EUROPE 40 14
166 CNBC WORLDWIDE EXCHANGE 39 253
167 NWSN NEWSNATION NOW 37 110
167 NWSN HILL, THE 37 180
169 CNBC STREET SIGNS 36 236
170 FBN SUNDAY FUTURES 35 53
171 NWSN MORNING IN AMERICA 33 265
172 FBN MANSION GLOBAL 30 20
173 NWSN EARLY MORNING 14 120
Source: Nielsen. Live+SD 2023. Total Day. Original programs, excluding repeats, specials, Breaking news, and show with less than 10 telecasts. 12/26/22-12/31/23

ADULTS 25-54

As mentioned, Tucker Carlson Tonight went off the air in late-April, but still averaged the most Adults 25-54 of any cable news show this year (446,000 A25-54 viewers across 70 telecasts). But if one considers exclusively existing daily cable news programming, The Five is the No. 1 for 2023 in the demo (300,000). Hannity is next with an average of 271,000 in the measurement at 9 p.m., Gutfeld! (267,000) and Jesse Watters Primetime follow (253,000).

Fox News earned nine of the 10 most-watched daily cable news shows of the year among Adults 25-54, and 13 of the top 15. MSNBC’s 9 p.m. hour (The Rachel Maddow Show/Alex Wagner Tonight) is the top-rated non-Fox News hour this year in the key demo.

Ranked on A25-54 2023 Cable News Programming
Rank Network PROGRAM NAME A25-54 (000) T/C
1 FOXN * TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT 446 70
2 CNN TRUMP ARREST/ARRAIGNMENT 355 11
2 FOXN FIVE, THE 300 243
3 FOXN HANNITY 271 202
4 FOXN GUTFELD! 267 220
5 FOXN JESSE WATTERS PRIMETIME 253 200
6 MSNBC THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW (Mondays) 242 48
8 CNN CNN SPECIAL COVERAGE 238 33
9 FOXN INGRAHAM ANGLE, THE 218 205
10 FOXN SPECIAL RPT W/BRET BAIER 214 252
11 FOXN OUTNUMBERED 191 252
12 FOXN FAULKNER FOCUS, THE 185 253
13 FOXN AMERICAS NEWSROOM 176 504
14 FOXN SUNDAY MORNING FUTURES 165 52
15 FOXN FOX NEWS AT NIGHT 164 256
16 FOXN AMERICA REPORTS 163 506
17 FOXN YOUR WORLD W/NEIL CAVUTO 162 251
18 FOXN THE STORY W/ MARTHA MACCALLUM 159 252
19 MSNBC ALL IN W/ CHRIS HAYES 156 232
20 MSNBC BEAT W/ARI MELBER 155 261
21 FOXN CAVUTO LIVE 154 98
22 CNN ANDERSON COOPER 360 153 302
23 FOXN FOX NEWS TONIGHT 152 56
24 FOXN FOX & FRIENDS SATURDAY 150 208
24 CNN ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT 150 273
26 MSNBC LAST WORD W/ L. ODONNELL 148 247
27 MSNBC ALEX WAGNER TONIGHT 147 202
28 MSNBC REIDOUT 146 250
28 FOXN FOX AND FRIENDS 146 753
30 MSNBC DEADLINE:WHITE HOUSE 144 258
31 FOXN FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY 139 205
32 CNN SOURCE W KAITLAN COLLINS 137 122
33 FOXN MEDIA BUZZ 135 51
34 MSNBC INSIDE W/ JEN PSAKI (Mondays) 134 14
35 CNN SITUATION ROOM 133 342
36 CNN NEWSNIGHT 132 49
37 CNN LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER 129 457
38 FOXN * UNFILTERED W/DAN BONGINO 126 14
38 CNN CNN PRIMETIME 126 129
40 MSNBC 11TH HOUR W/ S. RUHLE 121 252
41 MSNBC MSNBC SPECIAL COVERAGE 115 25
42 CNN AT THIS HOUR 114 74
43 MSNBC MORNING JOE 112 510
44 CNN STATE OF THE UNION 109 58
44 CNN INSIDE POLITICS 109 300
46 CNN CNN NEWS CENTRAL 108 ###
47 CNN LAURA COATES LIVE 107 57
48 CNN CNN TONIGHT 104 323
49 FOXN FOX NEWS LIVE 103 394
50 FOXN LIFE, LIBERTY AND LEVIN 102 57
51 FOXN ONE NATION W/ BRIAN KILMEADE 100 47
52 CNN SMERCONISH 99 48
53 FOXN * THE NEXT REVOLUTION 98 17
53 CNN FAREED ZAKARIA: GPS 98 48
53 CNN CNN NEWSROOM 98 ###
56 MSNBC KATY TUR REPORTS 97 254
57 CNN CNN NEWSROOM SPCL 96 13
58 FOXN BIG SATURDAY SHOW, THE 95 23
58 MSNBC HALLIE JACKSON REPORTS 95 34
60 MSNBC MSNBC PRESS CONFERENCE 91 40
61 FOXN L. JONES CROSS COUNTRY 90 35
61 MSNBC ANA CABRERA REPORTS 90 184
61 MSNBC CHRIS JANSING REPORTS 90 267
64 FOXN BIG WEEKEND SHOW, THE 89 62
65 FOXN SUNDAY NIGHT IN AMERICA W/ TREY GOWDY 88 45
65 FOXN FOX REPORT WITH JON SCOTT 88 123
65 FOXN FOX NEWS SUNDAY 88 50
68 MSNBC INSIDE WITH JEN PSAKI 84 45
68 CNN WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON 84 27
70 MSNBC ANDREA MITCHELL REPORTS 81 254
71 MSNBC JOSE DIAZ-BALART REPORTS 80 252
72 MSNBC MORNING JOE-SPC 79 16
73 FOXN FOX NEWS SATURDAY NIGHT 78 23
74 FOXN BIG SUNDAY SHOW, THE 77 19
74 FOXN JOURNAL EDITORIAL REPORT 77 50
76 FOXN FOX & FRIENDS FIRST 76 368
77 CNN CNN THIS MORNING 73 806
78 CNN CNN THIS MORNING WEEKEND 68 290
79 MSNBC MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE 67 145
80 MSNBC VELSHI 66 101
80 MSNBC ALEX WITT REPORTS 66 109
82 CNN TALKING TO CHRIS WALLACE 65 20
83 CNN HOW IT REALLY HAPPENED 62 12
84 MSNBC SATURDAY SHW W/J.CAPEHART 59 42
85 MSNBC SUNDAY SHOW W/J. CAPEHART 58 50
86 MSNBC YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN REPRTS 55 98
87 MSNBC POLITICS NATION W/ AL SHARPTON 51 97
88 MSNBC AYMAN 50 97
88 CNN CNN NEWSROOM LIVE 50 ###
90 HLN VENGEANCE: KILLER BESTIES 48 11
91 MSNBC SYMONE 47 97
92 HLN WEST WING, THE 46 61
92 CNBC MONEY MOVERS 46 14
94 MSNBC KATIE PHANG SHOW 45 94
95 CNN EARLY START 44 243
96 MSNBC MEHDI HASAN SHOW 43 41
96 MSNBC AMERCAN VOICES W/MENENDEZ 43 101
98 MSNBC WAY TOO EARLY 42 255
98 FBN COPS 42 29
100 CNBC FAST MONEY HALFTIME RPRT 41 252
100 CNBC SQUAWK ON THE STREET 41 254
102 CNBC EXCHANGE, THE 38 252
103 CNBC CLOSING BELL 36 508
103 CNBC TECHCHECK 36 42
105 CNBC POWER LUNCH 35 252
106 MSNBC MORNING JOE WEEKEND 34 42
107 MSNBC DATELINE 33 33
107 CNBC FAST MONEY 33 253
107 HLN CNN/CNN THIS MORNING WKND 33 291
110 MSNBC SKY NEWS ON MSNBC 30 22
111 NMX ERIC BOLLING THE BALANCE 29 264
111 CNBC BLOOD & MONEY 29 11
113 NMX ROB SCHMITT TONIGHT 28 265
114 NMX GREG KELLY REPORTS 26 256
115 CNBC MAD MONEY 25 221
115 CNBC OPTIONS ACTION 25 38
117 CNBC SQUAWK BOX 24 256
117 HLN CNN/CNN THIS MORNING 24 777
119 NWSN CUOMO 23 262
120 NMX CHRIS PLANTE RIGHT SQUAD 22 156
121 NMX CARL HIGBIE FRONTLINE 21 188
122 CNBC LAST CALL W/ BRIAN SULLIVAN 20 207
123 FBN KUDLOW 19 224
123 NMX RECORD WITH GRETA VAN SUS 19 263
123 NMX CHRIS SALCEDO SHOW, THE 19 264
123 NWSN BANFIELD 19 263
127 CNBC CNBC SPECIAL REPORT 18 33
128 FBN VARNEY & COMPANY 17 744
128 NMX AMERICAN AGENDA 17 265
130 NWSN DAN ABRAMS LIVE 16 249
130 NWSN NEWSNATION PRIME 16 306
132 NMX NATIONAL REPORT 15 267
132 NMX WAKE UP AMERICA 15 265
132 NMX PRIME NEWS 15 91
132 NWSN NEWSNATION: RUSH HOUR 15 154
136 NMX NEWSLINE 14 99
136 NMX SATURDAY REPORT 14 53
136 FBN FOX BUSINESS TONIGHT 14 17
139 FBN EVENING EDIT, THE 13 251
139 FBN CAVUTO COAST TO COAST 13 268
139 NMX JOHN BACHMAN NOW 13 166
139 NMX SUNDAY REPORT 13 33
143 NMX SPICER & CO 12 76
143 FBN BIG MONEY SHOW, THE 12 231
143 NMX WAKE UP AMERICA WEEKEND 12 105
143 FBN MORNINGS WITH M.BARTIROMO 12 744
143 FBN KENNEDY 12 87
148 NMX AMERICA RIGHT NOW 11 52
148 FBN CLAMAN COUNTDOWN, THE 11 251
148 FBN MAKING MONEY W/ CHARLES PAYNE 11 248
148 FBN BOTTOM LINE, THE 11 235
148 NMX SUNDAY AGENDA 11 33
148 NMX COUNT; THE 11 48
148 FBN AMERICAN BUILT 11 18
155 NMX SATURDAY AGENDA 10 53
155 NMX LAND OF ISRAEL WITH JON V 10 11
155 NWSN ON BALANCE W/ VITTERT 10 263
158 NWSN NEWSNATION NOW W/ CONNELL MCSHANE 9 70
159 FBN M. BARTIROMOS WALL STREET 8 51
159 FBN BARRONS ROUNDTABLE 8 52
159 NWSN ELIZABETH VARGAS REPORTS 8 194
159 CNBC SQUAWK BOX EUROPE 8 14
159 CNBC WORLDWIDE EXCHANGE 8 253
159 NWSN HILL, THE 8 180
159 CNBC STREET SIGNS 8 236
166 NWSN NEWSNATION NOW W/ BERLIE 7 180
166 NWSN NWSN LIVE W/ MARNI HUGHES 7 265
168 NWSN NEWSNATION NOW 6 110
168 NWSN MORNING IN AMERICA 6 265
170 FBN MANSION GLOBAL 5 20
171 FBN WSJ AT LRGE W/GERRY BAKER 4 21
172 FBN SUNDAY FUTURES 3 53
172 NWSN EARLY MORNING 3 120
Source: Nielsen. Live+SD 2023. Total Day. Original programs, excluding repeats, specials, Breaking news, and show with less than 10 telecasts. 12/26/22-12/31/23

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