As expected, Fox News Channel is the most-watched basic cable network for the week of April 10, 2023. The news network, which settled its defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million yesterday, averaged 2.12 million total primetime viewers and 1.33 million total day viewers. FNC also averaged 240,000 adults 25-54 in primetime, No. 4 on basic cable, and 166,000 adults 25-54 in total day, No. 3 on basic cable. This is all according to live plus same day data from Nielsen.
How do those figures stack up against comparable weeks’ numbers?
In primetime, the network shed -10% in total viewers and -21% in A25-54 from the previous week (beginning April 3). In total day, the network shed -7% in total viewers and -12% among Adults 25-54.
To be fair, week-to-week viewership drop off was expected. Former President Donald Trump was arrested and arraigned in a New York City courthouse and two Black Tennessee lawmakers were expelled from the state’s legislature over gun reform protests during the week of April 3, high-profile events which received significant cable news coverage and drew large audiences.
Despite outperforming its competition significantly, Fox trended in the wrong direction on a year-over-year basis. The network shed -7% in total primetime viewers, -32% of its audience from the primetime demo, -13% in total day viewers, and -34% of its audience from the total day demo versus the week of April 11, 2022.
MSNBC and CNN, similar to Fox News, saw a poor week-to-week viewership trend in light of the slower news cycle.
MSNBC averaged 1.29 million total primetime viewers, No. 3 on basic cable, and 798,000 total day viewers, No. 2 on basic cable, this past week. The network also drew 139,000 Adults 25-54 in primetime and 98,000 Adults 25-54 in total day, No. 16 and tied for No. 9 (with Comedy Central), respectively, on basic cable.
As mentioned, MSNBC lost viewers from the previous week. The network dropped -14% in total primetime viewers, -19% from the primetime demo, -16% in total day viewers and -21% from the total day demo.
That said, MSNBC continues to outperform its 2022 Nielsen ratings. Relative to the year-ago week (April 11, 2022), MSNBC is up +7% in total primetime viewers, +6% in the primetime demo, +19% in total day viewers and +26% in the total day demo. Neither Fox News nor CNN managed to post year-over-year audience growth.
After top 10 finishes in total day and primetime during the week of April 3, a quieter news cycle resulted in CNN tumbling down the rankings for the week of April 10. CNN dropped to No. 14 on basic cable in average total primetime viewers (524,000), and tied with corporate sibling HGTV for No. 5 in total day viewers (449,000). Not only that, but CNN fell behind MSNBC in the key A25-54 demo, finishing the week No. 21 in primetime (123,000), and No. 11 in total day (97,000).
CNN shed -27% in total primetime viewers, -32% in the primetime demo, -23% in total day viewers and -27% in the total day demo vs. the week before. The network is also -24% in total primetime viewers, -25% in the primetime demo, -24% in total day viewers and -28% in the total day demo from the year-ago week.
Week of April 10, 2023 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen live-same-day data):
| PRIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 2,123,000 | 1,289,000 | 524,000 |
| • A25-54: | 240,000 | 139,000 | 123,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,330,000 | 798,000 | 449,000 |
| • A25-54: | 166,000 | 98,000 | 97,000 |
In terms of individual programming, Tucker Carlson Tonight marked its sixth consecutive week as cable news’ most-watched show, averaging 3.39 million total viewers at 8 p.m. this past week.
The Five came in second with an average of 3.015 million viewers at 5 p.m., followed by Hannity in third place with a 2.61 million viewer average at 9 p.m., Jesse Watters Primetime took fourth place by averaging 2.595 million total viewers at 7 p.m., with Special Report with Bret Baier rounding out cable news’ top five with a 2.18 million total viewer average at 6 p.m.
Fox News had the eight most-watched cable news shows of the week, and 10 of the top 15.
Alex Wagner Tonight was the most-watched non-Fox News offering of the week, taking eighth place among total viewers with a 1.59 million viewer average at 9 p.m.
MSNBC’s Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace was the most-watched cable news offering at 4 p.m. with 1.52 million viewers from 4-6 p.m. (No. 11 overall).
Tucker Carlson Tonight continues to draw the most Adults 25-54 on cable news, as the network’s 8 p.m. hour averaged 419,000 viewers from the measurement this past week. The Five came in second with 344,000 A25-54 viewers on average at 5 p.m. Gutfeld! secured third place in the A25-54 demo (294,000), with Jesse Watters Primetime (291,000 at 7 p.m.) and Hannity (295,000 at 9 p.m.) rounding out the top five in the ad-friendly measurement.
Fox News had the top 11 cable news shows among Adults 25-54. Alex Wagner Tonight took 11th in the demo (181,000).
Below, the basic cable network rankers — sorted by average total viewers followed by A25-54.