Welcome to the TVNewser basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of Jan. 29, 2024.
With no election coverage, Fox News and CNN saw audience declines in primetime in total viewers and Adults 25-54. MSNBC meanwhile saw primetime week-to-week gains in total viewers but fell in A25-54.
NETWORKS:
Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of Jan. 29 is officially in, and Fox News Channel retained its regular position as the top-rated cable news network in total viewers and among Adults 25-54.
In primetime, FNC averaged 2.012 million total viewers and 230,000 A25-54 viewers. This was a -8% and -11% drop in total viewers and A25-54, respectively, relative to the week prior (week beginning Jan. 22).
In total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.311 million total viewers and 163,000 A25-54 viewers, which translated to a -3% and -1% decline, 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. It was the only cable network to cross one million total viewers in total day, helping it keep its No. 1 position, while it was the No. 2 in the total day demo for the week of Jan. 29, 2024.
MSNBC in primetime averaged 1.272 million total viewers and 109,000 viewers from the A25-54 demo for the week of Jan. 29. It had a +3% gain in total viewers but fell by -16% in the A25-54 demo from what the network averaged the week prior. In total day, MSNBC averaged 794,000 total viewers and 78,000 A25-54 viewers for the week of Jan. 29. That’s a -4% and -14% drop, 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 demo. It was No. 2 in total day viewers and No. 13 in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 492,000 total primetime viewers and 100,000 A25-54 viewers in primetime for the week of Jan. 29, 2024. That’s a -19% decrease in both demos, from what the network averaged in those measurements the week prior. In total day, CNN had 434,000 total viewers and 77,000 viewers in the demo. It dropped by -5% in total viewers and by -9% in the total day demo.
CNN finished the week at No. 23 in the primetime demo and No. 12 in total primetime viewers. It was No. 5 in total day viewers and No. 14 in the total day demo.
How did the networks fare relative to the year-ago week? Fox News fell by -11% in total primetime viewers and by -24% in the demo. Additionally, it fell by -12% in total day viewers and -19% in the total day demo.
CNN was down -13% in total primetime viewers and -7% in the primetime demo. The network was also down -11% in total day viewers and -13% in the total day demo.
MSNBC, on the other hand, was up +21% in total primetime viewers but fell by -2% in the primetime demo. In total day, the network was up +17% in total viewers but dropped by -3% in the demo.
PROGRAMMING:
Fox had eleven out of the 15 most-watched cable news shows of the week, led by The Five (3.009 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 1.689 million viewers at 8 p.m. MSNBC had four of its programs in the top 15 of most-watched cable news shows.
Meanwhile, Gutfeld! was the top cable news program among Adults 25-54, averaging 329,000 A25-54 viewers at 10 p.m. Fox News had 14 out of the top 15 cable news shows in the demo overall, with MSNBC occupying the final spot, with The Beat w/ Ari Melber representing for the network at No. 15 with 145,000 viewers for the demo.
Week of Jan. 29 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen Live+SD data):
| PRIMETIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 2,012,000 | 1,272,000 | 492,000 |
| • A25-54: | 230,000 | 109,000 | 100,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,311,000 | 794,000 | 434,000 |
| • A25-54: | 163,000 | 78,000 | 77,000 |