This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of March 18, 2024.
It was a mixed bag of ratings results for the cable news networks. Fox News led the pack but registered week-to-week declines in both measured categories during primetime and total day. MSNBC saw improvements in primetime with total viewers and A25-54 viewers, and CNN saw improvements in total viewers during primetime and total day.
NETWORKS:
Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of March 18 saw FNC average 1.909 million total viewers and 191,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was down in total viewers by -7% and -14% in the A25-54 demo, relative to the week prior (the week beginning March 11).
In total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.216 million total viewers and 136,000 A25-54 viewers. This translates to declines of -3% in total viewers and a -7% in A25-54 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 fell two spots from the previous week to land in the No. 6 position in the primetime demo. In total day, the network was the only cable network to cross one million total viewers, holding its No. 1 position but falling from No. 4 to No. 5 in the total day demo for the week of March 18.
MSNBC in primetime averaged 1.260 million total viewers and 116,000 viewers from the A25-54 demo for the week of March 18. It rose by +4% in total viewers and +1% in the A25-54 demo from what the network averaged the week prior. In total day, MSNBC averaged 816,000 total viewers and 77,000 A25-54 viewers. That’s a +3% gain in total viewers and a -6% decline in A25-54 from what the network averaged the week before.
Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC dropped one spot to No. 4 in total primetime viewers and fell to No. 17 in the demo. It remained No. 2 in total day viewers and fell from No. 9 to No. 12 in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 574,000 total primetime viewers and 100,000 A25-54 viewers in primetime for the week of March 18. The news net was up +2% in total viewers but dropped by -12% in the A25-54 demo compared to the prior week. In total day, CNN had 461,000 total viewers and 76,000 viewers in the demo. This was a +7% gain in total viewers and a -4% drop in the total day demo compared to the previous week.
CNN finished the week falling from 10th place in primetime total viewers to 12th place and finishing in the 21st spot in the demo, down from 18th. It was No. 6 in total day viewers, down from No. 4, and it fell two places to land in 13th place in the total day demo.
How did the networks fare relative to the year-ago week? Fox News was down -8% in total primetime viewers and -18% in the demo. It dropped by -7% in total day viewers and -12% in the total day demo.
CNN was up +6% in total primetime viewers but fell -14% in the demo. The network was down by -1% in total day viewers and declined by -16% in the total day demo.
MSNBC was up +3% in total primetime viewers and +2% in the primetime demo. In total day, the network gained +6% in total viewers but dropped by -14% in the demo.
PROGRAMMING:
Fox had 9 out of the 15 most-watched cable news shows of the week, led once again by The Five (2.883 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET). The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell at 10 p.m. ET was MSNBC’s most-watched program, coming in at No. 7 with 1.701 million viewers. MSNBC, impressively, had six of its shows in the top 15, with two of them belonging to Deadline: White House at No. 12 with 1.419 million viewers (4 p.m. ET) and at No. 13 with 1.418 million viewers (5 p.m. ET) – the Nicole Wallace effect is certainly strong.
Meanwhile, Gutfeld! remained on top in the Adults 25-54 demo, averaging 262,000 A25-54 viewers at 10 p.m. ET. Fox News again led the way with 11 of the top 15 cable news shows in the demo overall. MSNBC occupied three spots, with the Rachel Maddow/Alex Wagner 9 p.m. ET timeslot landing at the No. 11 spot with 156,000 viewers. CNN crept into the top 15 list, landing in the final spot courtesy of Erin Burnett Outfront at 7 p.m. ET with 134,000 viewers.
Week of March 18 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen Live+SD data):
| PRIMETIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,909,000 | 1,260,000 | 574,000 |
| • A25-54: | 191,000 | 116,000 | 100,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,216,000 | 816,000 | 461,000 |
| • A25-54: | 136,000 | 77,000 | 76,000 |