Carried by its top-rated live coverage of President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address (and Republican response) on Tuesday, February 7, Fox News Channel was the again the top cable news network for the week in total viewers and adults 25-54, finishing substantially ahead of its MSNBC and CNN competition during the week of Feb. 6, 2023.
According to Nielsen live plus same day data, Fox News is No. 1 overall in total primetime viewers among ad-supported basic cable networks, averaging 2.52 million viewers. FNC climbed from No. 3 to No. 2 among ad-supported basic cable outlets in Adults 25-54 (359,000), behind ESPN (421,000). In total day, FNC again placed No. 1 overall in total viewers, averaging 1.54 million, and placed second in A25-54 viewers (205,000). ESPN averaged 252,000.
Fox News gained viewers from the prior week, as expected, while its year-over-year viewership trend was more mixed — up in total viewers and down in the A25-54 category.
FNC gained +12% in total primetime viewers, +19% in primetime A25-54 viewers, +4% in total day viewers and +2% in total day A25-54 viewers from the previous week (Jan. 30). Compared to the year-ago week, Fox News gained +6% in total primetime viewers, but lost -2% in primetime A25-54 viewers, gained +3% in total day viewers but shed -14% in total day A25-54 viewers.
Fox’s coverage of the SOTU and Republican response was the most-watched on all of TV for the second year. The network ranked third behind ABC and NBC when it came to Adults 25-54. However, FNC did average more A25-54 viewers than its cable news competition.
Elsewhere in cable news land, MSNBC returned to No. 1 in total primetime viewers among ad-supported cablers, averaging 1.37 million total viewers this past week. The network placed second in total day viewers for the third consecutive week with 777,000. In Adults 25-54, MSNBC is tied for 12th in primetime with Comedy Central, averaging 159,000 viewers. MSNBC finished No. 13 in the total day demo, averaging 94,000 viewers.
Compared to the previous week (Jan. 30), MSNBC gained +30% in total primetime viewers, +43% in primetime A25-54 viewers, +15% in total day viewers and +15% in total day A25-54 viewers. The network also is +34% in total primetime viewers, +39% in the primetime demo, +25% in total day viewers and +37% in the total day demo vs. the same week in 2022. It was a solid ratings week for MSNBC carried by coverage of the SOTU.
CNN moved from No. 12 to No. 7 in total primetime viewers this past week with a 719,000 total viewer average, and held steady at No. 4 in total day with a 500,000 viewer average. In Adults 25-54, CNN shot up from No. 29 to No. 10 among adults 25-54 in primetime, posting a 163,000 viewer average in the daypart. The network also improved to No. 10 in the total day demo, averaging 98,000 viewers from the measurement.
As was the case with its competition, CNN gained viewers from comparable weeks. It improved by +27% in primetime viewers from the prior week, +52% in the primetime demo, but just +3% in total day viewers and +10% in total day demo.
CNN’s year-over-year ratings trend was a positive one. The network gained +46% in total primetime viewers, +34% among A25-54 in primetime, gained +13% in total day total viewers and +7% among A25-54 watching across total day.
Week of Feb. 6 2023 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen live-same-day data):
| PRIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 2,520,000 | 1,374,000 | 719,000 |
| • A25-54: | 359,000 | 159,000 | 163,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,540,000 | 777,000 | 500,000 |
| • A25-54: | 205,000 | 92,000 | 98,000 |
In terms of individual programming, Tucker Carlson Tonight moved past The Five as the most-watched cable news show for the week. The program drew an average of 3.47 million in the 8 p.m. hour. The Five averaged 3.44 million total viewers at 5 p.m., with Jesse Watters Primetime (3.02 million at 7 p.m.), Hannity (2.965 million at 9 p.m.), and Special Report with Bret Baier (2.58 million at 6 p.m.) rounding out the top five.
Carlson has the top spot on cable news among adults 25-54, averaging 490,000 viewers from the measurement at 8 p.m. Hannity came in second with 409,000 viewers at 9 p.m., with The Five (394,000), Watters (340,000), and Gutfeld! (328,000) rounding out the top five in the key A25-54 demo.
Fox News had the 13-most-watched cable news shows for the week. MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell ranks No.14 with 1.47 million at 10 p.m., All In with Chris Hayes ranked No. 15 with 1.42 million at 8 p.m.
Additionally, Fox News had the top 15 cable news shows of the week among Adults 25-54. CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 is the top-rated non-Fox News show in the demo (No. 16 — 166,000 viewers at 8 p.m.).
Below, the basic cable network rankers.