Welcome to the TVNewser basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of Feb. 5, 2024.
The back half of the week was heavy with political breaking news, giving cable news some lift in the ratings. Fox News, however, saw week-to-week audience declines in primetime in the Adults 25-54 demo. It was the only network to experience week-to-week declines, while MSNBC and CNN saw double-digit gains in the demo and single-digit boosts in total day.
NETWORKS:
Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of Feb. 5 is officially in, and Fox News Channel was the top-rated cable news network in total viewers and among Adults 25-54.
In primetime, FNC averaged 2.046 million total viewers and 226,000 A25-54 viewers. This was a +2% gain and -2% drop in total viewers and A25-54, respectively, relative to the week prior (the week beginning Jan. 29).
In total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.355 million total viewers and 165,000 A25-54 viewers, which translated to a +3% and +1% gain, respectively, from what Fox News averaged in those measurements the week prior. Among all basic cable networks, Fox News maintained its No. 1 position in total primetime viewers and No. 5 in the primetime demo. In total day, the network remained the only cable network to cross one million total viewers, holding its No. 1 position. It was the No. 2 in the total day demo for the week of Feb. 5, 2024.
MSNBC in primetime averaged 1.326 million total viewers and 120,000 viewers from the A25-54 demo for the week of Feb. 5. It had a +4% gain in total viewers and +10% in the A25-54 demo from what the network averaged the week prior. In total day, MSNBC averaged 846,000 total viewers and 84,000 A25-54 viewers for the week of Feb. 5. That’s a +7% and +8% gain, respectively, from what the network averaged the week before.
Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC finished the week at No. 2 in total primetime viewers and No. 18 in the primetime demo. In total day, MSNBC was the No.2 network and tenth in the demo.
CNN averaged 501,000 total primetime viewers and 110,000 A25-54 viewers in primetime for the week of Feb. 5, 2024. The news net had a +2% increase and +10% in total viewers and A25-54, respectively, compared to the prior week. In total day, CNN had 462,000 total viewers and 83,000 viewers in the demo. It increased viewership by +6% in total viewers and +8% in the total day demo when measured with the previous week. CNN finished the week at No. 20 in the primetime demo and No. 13 in total primetime viewers. It was No. 3 in total day viewers and No. 11 in the total day demo.
How did the networks fare relative to the year-ago week? Fox News fell by -19% in total primetime viewers and by -37% in the demo. It fell by -12% in total day viewers and -20% in the total day demo.
CNN was down -30% in total primetime viewers and -33% in the primetime demo. The network was down -8% in total day viewers and -15% in the total day demo.
MSNBC was down -3 % in total primetime viewers and fell by -25% in the primetime demo. In total day, the network was up +9% in total viewers but dropped by -9% in the demo.
PROGRAMMING:
Fox had 12 out of the 15 most-watched cable news shows of the week, led once again by The Five (3.139 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET). MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow/Alex Wagner timeslot was the most-watched non-Fox cable news show of the week, coming in at No. 7 with an average of 1.818 million viewers at 8 p.m ET. MSNBC had three of its shows in the top 15 of most-watched cable news shows.
Meanwhile, Gutfeld! remained the top cable news program among Adults 25-54, averaging 328,000 A25-54 viewers at 10 p.m ET. Fox News had 13 out of the top 15 cable news shows in the demo overall, with MSNBC occupying the final two spots, with the Maddow/Wagner timeslot coming in at No. 14 with 164,000 viewers at 9 p.m. ET and the Jen Psaki/Chris Hayes timeslot coming in at No. 15 with 159,000 viewers for the demo at 8 p.m. ET.
Week of Feb. 5 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen Live+SD data):
| PRIMETIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 2,046,000 | 1,326,000 | 501,000 |
| • A25-54: | 226,000 | 120,000 | 110,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,355,000 | 846,000 | 462,000 |
| • A25-54: | 165,000 | 84,000 | 83,000 |