The margin has become tight, but Fox News is holding on to its position as the most-watched cable news network. The network averaged 1.41 million total primetime viewers (No. 3 among all basic cable networks) and 1.1 million total day viewers (No. 1 among all basic cable networks) for the week of May 15.
Fox News dropped two spots to No. 14 in the primetime demo (136,000), but moved up two spots to No. 3 in the total day demo (129,000 viewers).
How do these figures stack up against comparable weeks? Relative to the week prior (week of May 8). Fox News shed -1% in total primetime viewers and -4% in total day viewers, -3% among adults 25-54 in primetime and -6% among adults 25-54 in total day.
FNC shed -38% in total primetime viewers and a whopping -61% among adults 25-54 in primetime relative to the same week in 2022. The network still had Carlson at 8 p.m. last year, so a year-over-year drop off right now isn’t particularly surprising. The story isn’t much better in total day viewing. Fox is -26% in total day viewers and -42% in the total day demo versus the week of May 16, 2022.
Despite significant viewer erosion, Fox News can still lay claim to being the most-watched cable news network for 118 weeks and counting.
MSNBC remains Fox’s stiffest competition right now. It remains the No. 4 most-watched basic cable network in primetime (1.19 million) behind NBA Playoffs-carrying TNT and ESPN, and Fox News. It’s the No. 3 most-watched basic cable network in total day (715,000), behind Fox News and ESPN. Additionally, MSNBC ranked No. 19 in the primetime demo (120,000 viewers), one spot up from the previous week, and No. 12 in the total day demo (83,000 viewers) down one spot from the previous week.
How do those figures stack up against comparable weeks? MSNBC is -3% in total primetime viewers, but gained +3% in the primetime demo, -5% in total day viewers and -2% among adults 25-54 in total day. However, unlike Fox News and CNN, the year-over-year viewership trend for MSNBC is very positive. The network is +24% in total primetime viewers, +33% in the primetime demo, +19% in total day viewers and +26% in the total day demo vs. the week of May 16, 2022.
CNN has had a roller coaster couple of weeks. After a strong ratings week of May 8 driven by the Trump town hall, the network came crashing back down to Earth this past week. CNN averaged only 371,000 total viewers in primetime during the week of May 15, the network’s smallest primetime audience since May 2014 and No. 18 among all basic cable outlets. CNN also averaged 361,000 total day viewers this past week (No. 8 on basic cable), 88,000 adults 25-54 in primetime (No. 28 on basic cable) and 73,000 adults in total day (No. 17 on basic cable) — a distant third behind Fox News and MSNBC and the network’s smallest audience in the total day demo measurement since 2000.
How do those figures from this past week stack up against comparable weeks? Not particularly well. Relative to the previous week—which to be fair was defined by larger-than-normal primetime ratings for the Trump town hall—CNN dropped -47% in total primetime viewers, -45% in the primetime demo, -22% in total day viewers and -23% in the total day demo. The network is -38% in total primetime viewers, -28% in the primetime demo, -23% in total day viewers and -23% in the total day demo vs. the week of May 16, 2022.
Additionally, Newsmax averaged 308,000 total primetime viewers (No. 24 on basic cable), and 188,000 total day viewers (N0. 23 on basic cable) this past week.
Week of May 15 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen live-same-day data):
| PRIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,413,000 | 1,124,000 | 371,000 |
| • A25-54: | 136,000 | 120,000 | 88,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,097,000 | 715,000 | 361,000 |
| • A25-54: | 129,000 | 83,000 | 73,000 |
Cable news’ two most-watched shows continue to air outside of primetime. The Five is once again No. 1 on cable news, averaging 2.64 million total viewers at 5 p.m. this past week. Jesse Watters Primetime secured second place with a 2.15 million total viewer average at 7 p.m., Hannity took third place by averaging 1.92 million total viewers at 9 p.m., Special Report with Bret Baier averaged 1.8 million at 6 p.m. and Gutfeld! rounding out cable news’ top five with a 1.64 million total viewer average at 11 p.m.
Fox News had the seven most-watched cable news shows of the week, with MSNBC’s The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell coming in at No. 8 (1.46 million) behind 7th place Fox News Tonight (1.52 million) and No. 6 The Ingraham Angle (1.59 million). Outnumbered (1.42 million) and America’s Newsroom (1.42 million) round out the top 10.
In addition to being No. 1 in total viewers, The Five is also No. 1 on cable news among adults 25-54, averaging 277,000 from the measurement at 5 p.m. this past week.
Fox News had the top 10 cable news shows among Adults 25-54. The aforementioned All In With Chris Hayes finished No. 11, coming up 5,000 adults 25-54 short of Fox News Tonight (154,000), which was guest-hosted by Will Cain this past week.
Fox News Tonight gained +7% in total viewers and +5% in A25-54 viewers from the previous week, but -50% in total viewers and -59% in A25-54 viewers vs. the final week of Tucker Carlson Tonight.
Lastly, below are the basic cable network rankers — sorted by average total viewers followed by A25-54.