The Nielsen live-plus-same-day data for the week of July 13 is in, and Fox News will finish as the most-watched network on all of cable across total day and prime time, advancing its streak to 28 straight weeks at No. 1 in total day and 26 weeks in a row as the most-watched basic cable network in prime time.
FNC also topped its cable news competition across both of the aforementioned dayparts among the key A25-54 demographic, though by a slimmer margin than usual, averaging 463,000 demo viewers in prime time and 264,000 in total day.
Hannity averaged the most total viewers on all of cable TV last week (3.85 million) and the most adults 25-54 on cable news (622,000).
Tucker Carlson Tonight, which was guest-hosted by myriad Fox Newsers during the latter half of the week, still managed to finish as the second-most-watched show on cable TV (3.1 million viewers) and second most watched on cable news in the demo (616,000).
Presentations of Hannity, Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Ingraham Angle, The Five, Special Report with Bret Baier and The Story with Martha MacCallum comprised six of the 10 most-watched programs in cable news. Additionally, the network aired eight of the nine-most-watched cable telecasts of the week.
When stacked up against the comparable week in 2019 (July 15, 2019). FNC was +18% in total prime time viewers, +15% in total day viewers, +12% in the prime time demo and +8% in the total day demo.
However, the network was down compared with the previous week (July 6). Carlson’s absence during the latter part of the week may have played a part in that. Nevertheless, FNC was -9% in total prime-time viewers, a whopping -17% in the prime-time demo, -3% in total day viewers and -9% in the total day demo.
This past week, CNN finished No. 3 in total viewers (1.61 million in prime time) behind both Fox News and MSNBC. However, it continues to post the most year-over-year growth in this heavy news cycle, and was +85% in total prime-time viewers and +85% in total day viewers versus the week of July 15, 2019.
ICNN also beat MSNBC among adults 25-54, and gave Fox a run for its money in the A25-54 demo, both in prime time (417,000 versus 463,000) and especially in total day (257,000 versus 264,000).
Not only did CNN perform well on a year-over-year basis, but it also posted week-to-week growth, a feat neither Fox nor MSNBC could match. The network was +10% in total prime-time viewers, +7% in the prime-time demo, +2% in total day viewers and +2% in the total day demo.
MSNBC finished No. 2 in total viewers (only behind Fox News) and third in the A25-54 demo (behind Fox News and CNN) this past week. Similar to Fox News, it posted week-to-week audience losses. The network was -5% in total prime-time viewers, -4% in the prime-time demo, -5% in total day viewers and -7% in the total day demo.
Here are the Nielsen live-plus-same-day numbers for the week of July 13 (Monday-Sunday, live-plus-same-day data):
PRIME TIME (8-11 p.m.)
| FNC | MSNBC | CNN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 3,002,000 | 2,081,000 | 1,612,000 |
| • A25-54: | 463,000 | 301,000 | 417,000 |
TOTAL DAY (6 a.m.-6 a.m.)
| FNC | MSNBC | CNN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,597,000 | 1,174,000 | 1,021,000 |
| • A25-54: | 264,000 | 170,000 | 257,000 |
Here’s the full basic cable ranker:
Basic cable ranker: Week of July 13 (Total Viewers)