Nielsen live plus same day data for the week of August 7, 2023 is now in, Fox News Channel remained in its usual position as the most-watched basic cable network and the top-rated cable news network in total viewers and among Adults 25-54.
Fox News averaged 1.8 million viewers and 184,000 Adults 25-54 in primetime. That’s the largest average audience on basic cable, and the No. 6-ranked A25-54 audience on basic cable, -4% and -8%, respectively, versus the previous week (July 31), which featured breaking news concerning former President Donald Trump’s D.C. grand jury indictment (Tuesday) and arraignment two days later (Thursday). Those stories gave CNN and MSNBC especially large viewership bumps that week, and those networks subsequently saw the steepest week-to-week losses this past week (we’ll get to that later).
In total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.14 million total viewers. That’s the largest total day audience on all of basic cable for the 32nd consecutive week, but -2% from the week prior. Additionally, Fox averaged 128,000 A25-54 in total day, No. 3 among basic cable networks in the measurement and -8% with the week prior.
Elsewhere in the cable news universe, MSNBC averaged 887,000 total day viewers and 97,000 A25-54 in total day for the week of August 7. That’s -8% and -12%, respectively, from the previous week. MSNBC’s 887,000 total viewer average is No. 2 on basic cable, while its 97,000 A25-54 average is No. 10 on basic cable.
Then in primetime, MSNBC averaged 1.45 million total viewers and 143,000 A25-54 viewers, -7% and -16%, respectively, relative to the week before. The 1.45 million places MSNBC at No. 2 on basic cable, whereas the 143,000 A25-54 average in primetime places MSNBC at No. 14 on basic cable.
To be fair, the week of July 31, 2023 was MSNBC’s most-watched week since the November 2022 midterms. An audience decline was inevitable. MSNBC and CNN should expect growth this coming week driven live breaking news coverage on Monday of former President Trump’s Fulton County, Ga., grand jury indictment.
Speaking of CNN, the network averaged 583,000 total viewers and 127,000 A25-54 viewers in primetime this past week, down -18% and -7%, respectively, from the week before. The 583,000 total primetime viewer average places CNN at No. 11 on all of basic cable, while the 127,000 A25-54 average places CNN at No. 18 on all of basic cable.
In total day, CNN averaged 487,000 total viewers and 98,000 A25-54 viewers this past week, down -11% and -6%, respectively, from the week before. The 487,000 total viewer averages places CNN No. 3 on all of basic cable for the week, whereas the 98,000 A25-54 average places CNN at No. 9 on all of basic cable for the week.
How did the big three cable newsers fare relative to the year-ago week (Aug. 8, 2022)? All three networks shed viewers, with Fox News and CNN seeing the steepest losses. Fox dropped -33% in total primetime viewers, -51% in the primetime demo, -32% in total day viewers and -47% in the total day demo. CNN shed -35% in total primetime viewers, -35% in the primetime demo, -26% in total day viewers and -27% in the total day demo. MSNBC shed -6% in total primetime viewers, -19% in the primetime demo, -5% in total day viewers and -9% in the total day demo vs. the same week in 2022.
Week of August 7 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen live-same-day data):
| PRIMETIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,799,000 | 1,453,000 | 583,000 |
| • A25-54: | 184,000 | 143,000 | 127,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,139,000 | 887,000 | 487,000 |
| • A25-54: | 128,000 | 97,000 | 98,000 |
On the programming front, for the second consecutive week, Fox News has six of the 10 most-watched daily cable news shows this past week, including the top four.
The Five is No. 1 on cable news for the 15th consecutive week, averaging 2.77 million total viewers at 5 p.m. for the week of August 7. Jesse Watters Primetime secured second place on cable news for the week behind The Five with a 2.43 million viewer average. Hannity finished third in average total viewers with a 2.26 million viewer average at 9 p.m. Gutfeld! averaged 1.95 million viewers at 10 p.m., while MSNBC’s The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell averaged 1.91 million viewers at 10 p.m.
Six through 10 in total viewers are, Fox News’ Special Report With Bret Baier (1.895 million at 6 p.m.), The Ingraham Angle (1.89 million at 7 p.m.), MSNBC’s The Beat With Ari Melber (1.7 million at 6 p.m.), Alex Wagner Tonight (1.63 million at 9 p.m.) with Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace (1.525 million from 4-6 p.m. ET) rounding out the top 10.
Fox News has the top four cable news shows of the week among Adults 25-54, led once again by The Five (281,000). Coming in at No. 2 is Gutfeld! (260,000), his primetime colleague Hannity (226,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (211,000) and MSNBC’s The Beat is No. 5 overall (181,000).
Six through 10 in the A25-54 demo are Alex Wagner Tonight (171,000), All In With Chris Hayes (165,000), Fox News’ Outnumbered (163,000) and Special Report With Bret Baier (162,000) rounding out the top 10.
CNN placed two of its shows in the top 15 among A25-54: Anderson Cooper 360 (No. 12 overall with a 157,000 average) and The Source With Kaitlan Collins (No. 13 overall with a 153,000 average). Fox News’ The Faulkner Focus came in 11th with a 160,000 A25-54 average.
MSNBC’s The ReidOut finished No. 1 at 7 p.m. among Adults 25-54 (No. 13 overall), edging The Ingraham Angle by just +1,000 viewers (152,000 vs. 151,000).
Lastly, below are the basic cable network rankers — sorted by average total viewers followed by Adults 25-54.