With Nielsen live plus same day data for the week of November 7 now in, we can safely report Fox News Channel has now achieved 45 consecutive weeks as the most-watched basic cable network in the 24-hour daypart, and 91 consecutive weeks as the most-watched network on cable news. FNC was also the most-watched basic cable network in primetime this past week.
The three major cable news networks—Fox News, MSNBC and CNN—saw significant week-to-week audience gains driven by live coverage of the 2022 Midterm Elections on Tuesday, Nov. 8. (The networks saw losses from 2018, which we’ll get to later).
Fox News averaged 1.91 million viewers and 323,000 adults 25-54 in total day this past week, up +17% and +48%, respectively, from what the network averaged in those two categories the previous week. Fox’s 323,000 A25-54 viewer count places it at No. 2 on basic cable behind ESPN (370,000). Additionally, Fox News averaged 3.24 million total viewers in primetime this past Midterms “week,” which is +32% from the prior week, to go with FNC averaged 597,000 adults 25-54 in primetime, which is +88% from the previous week and No. 2 on basic cable behind ESPN (975,000).
Compared with the same week in 2021, Fox News is +34% in total primetime viewers, +57% in the prime time demo, +27% in total day viewers and +32% in the total day demo.
Fox News actually gained some viewers from week of the 2018 Midterm Elections (week of Nov. 5) in total day (+2%). However, the network is down in the total day demo by -20%, -3% in total primetime viewers and -22% in the primetime demo. The fact that A25-54 viewership is down dramatically from four years ago is no surprise considering a declining number of Americans under 55 are watching cable news via linear. This has been the case for a while now, and isn’t unique to Fox News, as you’ll see below.
CNN has been in desperate need of a ratings jolt, and it received one during Midterms week. The network averaged 767,000 total day viewers during the week of Nov. 7, one week after drawing its smallest total day audience since 2015 (431,000). The 767,000 is +78% from the previous week, and No. 4 on basic cable. CNN also averaged 201,000 adults 25-54 in total day, which is +134% from the prior week and No. 3 on all of basic cable. Shifting over to primetime, CNN averaged 1.22 million total viewers, one week after having averaged just 466,000 viewers in the daypart. The 1.22 million is No. 6 on all of basic cable and +162% from the prior week. CNN also averaged 368,000 adults 25-54 in primetime, No. 4 on all of basic cable and a whopping +268% from the prior week.
CNN also performed well relative to the same week in 2021. The network is +93% in total primetime viewers and +159% in the primetime demo, +59% in total day viewers and is +88% in the total day demo from last year. However, relative to 2018 Midterms week, CNN, like its cable news competition, shed linear viewers. The network is -29% in total primetime viewers, -46% in the primetime demo, -24% in total day viewers and -41% in the total day demo.
Yes, CNN’s 2022 Midterms viewership was substantially down relative to previous midterms, but it was still the second-ranked TV news outlet on Election Night among A25-54, and it beat Fox News and MSNBC on Saturday, driven by its continuing coverage of the election results.
MSNBC, like CNN, earned a significant ratings bump from 2022 Midterms coverage, especially in primetime. The network averaged 1.70 million total primetime viewers during the week of Nov. 7, which is +68% from the previous week and No. 3 on all of basic cable. MSNBC also averaged 274,000 adults 25-54 in primetime during the week of Nov. 7, which is +174% from the prior week, and No. 6 on all of basic cable. Shifting to total day, MSNBC averaged 986,000 total viewers, second-most on basic cable and +46% from the prior week. The network averaged 146,000 A25-54 in total day, nearly double from the prior week (+97%), and No. 6 on all of basic cable.
MSNBC gained +47% in total primetime viewers and +99% in the primetime demo, +45% in total day viewers and +90% in the total day demo from the same week in 2021. Relative to 2018 Midterms week, MSNBC, like its cable news competition, shed linear viewers. The network is -28% in total primetime viewers, -46% in the primetime demo, -22% in total day viewers and -40% in the total day demo relative to 2018.
Week of Nov. 7 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen Live+SD data):
| PRIME TIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 3,243,000 | 1,702,000 | 1,219,000 |
| • A25-54: | 597,000 | 274,000 | 368,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,911,000 | 986,000 | 767,000 |
| • A25-54: | 323,000 | 146,000 | 201,000 |
2022 Midterm Election Common Coverage (Nielsen Live+SD data for Nov. 8, 2022)
- 8 – 11 p.m. ET: (Total Viewers | A25-54 demo)
Fox News: 7,422,000 / 1,879,000
ABC: 3,307,000 / 900,000
MSNBC: 3,210,000 / 782,000
NBC: 3,107,000 / 1,058,000
CNN: 2,608,000 / 1,059,000
CBS: 2,561,000 / 701,000
FBN: 629,000 / 229,000
2022 Midterm Election Full Cable News Coverage (Nielsen Live+SD data)
- 6 p.m. – 2 a.m. ET (Total Viewers | A25-54 demo)
FNC: 5,629,000 / 1,392,000
MSNBC: 2,664,000 / 481,000
CNN: 2,049,000 / 661,000
In terms of individual programming, The Five is the most-watched cable news show for the 12th consecutive week. The news talk panel program averaged 4.095 million total viewers during the week of Nov. 7, predictably up from the prior week. Tucker Carlson Tonight is second place in total viewers (3.77 million at 8 p.m.), with Jesse Watters Primetime (3.46 million at 7 p.m.), Hannity (3.33 million at 9 p.m.) and Special Report with Bret Baier (2.96 million viewers at 6 p.m.) round out the top five.
Tucker Carlson Tonight remained No. 1 on cable news among adults 25-54, averaging 591,000 viewers from the measurement at 8 p.m. The Five ranked No. 2 (556,000), followed by Jesse Watters Primetime (514,000), Hannity (509,000), and the 11 p.m. Gutfeld! (499,000),
Gutfeld! saw its top-rated week since launching last Spring.
Below are the basic cable network rankers for this past week. The first is sorted by most to fewest total viewers, and the second is sorted by most to fewest adults 25-54:
Week of Nov. 7 (Total Viewers)
Week of Nov. 7 (Adults 25-54) by alexanderkatz5 on Scribd