New week, same trend: Fox News is the top-rated cable news network for a year-and-a-half and running (80 straight weeks) and remains the most-watched network on all of basic cable, both in total day and in primetime viewing.
Despite its continued dominance, there were some week-to-week losses.
According to live plus same day data from Nielsen, FNC averaged 2.21 million total viewers in primetime this past week, No. 1 on basic cable for the 13th consecutive week and -6% from the prior week (Aug. 15, 2022). In the adults 25-54 demo, the network ranked No. 3 on basic cable in primetime, behind ESPN and TBS. FNC averaged 287,000 demo viewers, -8% from the week prior. Shifting to total day (6 a.m.-6 a.m.), Fox News averaged 1.44 million total viewers in the daypart this past week, is No. 1 on basic cable and -3% from the week prior. Also, the network averaged 202,000 in the adults 25-54 demo in total day, No. 1 in basic cable and -3% from the prior week.
MSNBC remained the second most-watched network on basic cable in total viewers this past week, averaging 1.31 million total viewers in primetime and 820,000 in total day. The 1.31 million viewer average is -4% from what MSNBC averaged in primetime the prior week, while the 820,000 is relatively steady with what the network averaged in total day the prior week (822,000 vs. 820,000). MSNBC averaged 128,000 adults 25-54 in primetime, ranking No. 3 on cable news, No. 20 on basic cable—and up +1% from the prior week. The network also averaged 89,000 adults 25-54 in total day, which is up +2% from the prior week, placing it at No. 17 on basic cable.
CNN averaged 632,000 total viewers in primetime during the week of Aug. 22, -16% from the week prior—No. 3 in cable news and dropping the network to No. 12 in all of basic cable. In addition, CNN averaged 132,000 A25-54 viewers in primetime, placing the network at No. 2 on cable news and No. 19 on basic cable. CNN’s weekend programming performance relative to MSNBC weekend performance is the reason CNN beat MSNBC for the full week in the demo. CNN shed -12% of that primetime demo audience from the week prior. When it came to total day viewing, CNN also posted losses of -7% in total viewers (524,000) and -4% in the key A25-54 demo (103,000). The network did manage to rank No. 3 on basic cable in total day viewers—and No. 9 in the total day demo, despite these week to week losses in total day.
Relative to the week of August 23, 2021 (the year-ago week), when cable news continued to cover the Afghanistan exit conflict and Hurricane Ida, FNC is down in primetime by-29% in total viewers and -47% in the A25-54 demo. When it came to total day viewing, the network is down -23% in total viewers and -39% in the key demo. CNN, which historically sees the most ratings fluctuation during periods of breaking news (Afghanistan and Ida, for example), is down by -34% in total primetime viewers and -43% in the primetime demo, as well as -30% in total day viewers and -39% in total day demo from that week in 2021. MSNBC actually gained total day viewers from the year-ago week (+4%), but is down in other key measurements, including total primetime viewers (-7%), the primetime demo (-31%) and the A25-54 total day demo (-12%).
Week of August 22 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen live-same-day data):
| PRIME TIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 2,206,000 | 1,310,000 | 632,000 |
| • A25-54: | 287,000 | 128,000 | 132,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,440,000 | 820,000 | 524,000 |
| • A25-54: | 202,000 | 89,000 | 103,000 |
In terms of individual programming, The Five remains the most-watched cable news show for the second consecutive week. The news talk panel program averaged 3.275 million total viewers during the week of August 22. Tucker Carlson Tonight took second place in total viewers (3.26 million at 8 p.m.), followed by Hannity (2.77 million at 9 p.m.), Jesse Watters Primetime (2.76 million at 7 p.m.), with MSNBC’s weekly The Rachel Maddow Show (2.47 million Monday at 9 p.m.) rounding out the top five. Tucker Carlson Tonight (462,000), The Five (396,000), Hannity (380,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (353,000), Gutfeld! (308,000) and The Ingraham Angle (302,ooo) were the top five cable news offerings for the week among adults 25-54. Fox had nine of the 10-most-watched cable news shows of the week, and nine of the top 10 among adults 25-54 (TRMS ranks No. 10).
Additionally, MSNBC’s Alex Wagner Tonight shed viewers from its debut week, yet remains ahead of its CNN 9 p.m. competition.
Below are the basic cable network rankers for this past week: