Fox News Channel is the No. 1 basic cable outlet in average total viewers and among adults 25-54, both in total day and also in primetime, for the second consecutive week.
The week beginning July 4, 2022 also marks the 73rd consecutive week that Fox News averaged more total viewers in total day and primetime than its cable news competition.
What exactly were the numbers, you ask? According to live plus same day data from Nielsen, Fox News averaged 1.95 million total viewers in primetime this past week, No. 1 on basic cable but -6% from what the network averaged during the previous week. FNC also averaged 288,000 adults 25-54 in primetime, No. 1 on basic cable and +2% from the week prior. Moving to total day, Fox News’ 1.31 million total viewer average is No. 1 on basic cable—and -4% from the network posted in the daypart the previous week. FNC also averaged 198,000 adults 25-54 in total day, No. 1 on basic cable but -1% with the prior week.
CNN notched a third consecutive week of primetime viewer growth, after what was an especially rough ratings stretch. The network hauled in an average of 705,000 total viewers in primetime during the week of July 4. That places CNN at No. 9 on basic cable and up +5% from the week prior, but fewer than Fox News or MSNBC. CNN’s A25-54 viewership in primetime (152,000) ranks No. 18 on basic cable and is also up from the prior week (+6%)—and more than what MSNBC averaged in the daypart.
CNN’s solid growth in primetime was aided by its highly-rated July 4 special broadcast live last Monday evening. In total day, the story was different. CNN averaged 538,000 total viewers, which is -5% from the prior week. The network fell to No. 5 on basic cable in total day viewers. CNN did manage to beat MSNBC when it came to adults 25-54 in total day (111,000, -8% week-to-week), placing No. 13 for the week in the measurement.
MSNBC struggled the most during the week that started with the Fourth of July holiday. After back-to-back weeks as the second-most-watched cable network, MSNBC dropped to No. 4, drawing just 982,000 in primetime on average last week. That’s -28% from what the network averaged in the daypart the previous week. MSNBC averaged just 92,000 adults 25-54 in primetime, No. 33 on basic cable and -40% from the prior week. In total day, the network averaged 666,000 total viewers in total day this past week, No. 2 on basic cable but -21% from the prior week. MSNBC also averaged 73,000 adults 25-54 in total day, which is -26% from the prior week and No. 25 overall on basic cable.
How did cable news’ “big three” fare relative to the same week in 2021? (Week of July 5). Fox News shed -4% in average total primetime viewers and -7% in the primetime demo. The story in the 6 a.m.-6 a.m. total day daypart is stronger, as has been the case throughout 2022. FNC gained a solid +12% in total day viewers and +3% in the total day demo. CNN, on the other hand, shed -15% in total primetime viewers, -17% in the primetime demo, -10% in total day viewers and -11% in the total day demo. MSNBC not only had the steepest week-to-week losses, it also had the steepest year-over-year audience losses. The network shed -22% in total primetime viewers, -41% in the primetime demo, -11% in total day viewers and -27% among adults 25-54 in total day vs. the year-ago week.
Week of July 4 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen live-same-day data):
| PRIME TIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,954,000 | 982,000 | 705,000 |
| • A25-54: | 288,000 | 92,000 | 152,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,312,000 | 666,000 | 538,000 |
| • A25-54: | 198,000 | 73,000 | 111,000 |
On the programming front, Fox News’ The Five was the most-watched show of the week (3.23 million at 5 p.m.) and the second-most-watched among adults 25-54 (418,000) at 8 p.m. Tucker Carlson Tonight came in second in total viewers (3.06 million at 8 p.m.) and No. 1 among adults 25-54 (505,000). Jesse Watters Primetime took third place in average total viewers (2.53 million at 7 p.m.), Special Report with Bret Baier ranks fourth in total viewers with 2.62 million at 6 p.m.—and The Ingraham Angle climbed to No. 5 in average total viewers (2.06 million at 10 p.m.)
Gutfeld! (1.96 million at 11 p.m.), Outnumbered (1.71 million at 12 p.m.), The Faulkner Focus (1.51 million at 11 a.m.), America’s Newsroom (1.49 million from 9-11 a.m.) and MSNBC’s Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace (1.41 million from 4-6 p.m.) round out cable news’ 10-most-watched for the week.
Fox News retitled Hannity for the entirety of the week, as the host was out and the program used fill-in hosts.
Below are basic cable network rankers for the week of July 4: