With Nielsen live plus same day data for the week of October 17 now in, we can safely report Fox News Channel has now achieved 42 consecutive weeks as the most-watched basic cable network in the 24-hour daypart, and 88 consecutive weeks as the most-watched network on cable news.
FNC averaged 1.48 million viewers and 203,000 adults 25-54 in total day this past week. The 1.48 million is +4% and the 203,000 (No. 3 on basic cable) is also +4% from what the network averaged in those two categories the previous week (Oct. 10).
Fox News averaged 2.3 million total viewers in primetime this past week, up +5% from the prior week and No. 3 on all of basic cable behind an ALCS-driven TBS (2.94 million) and a Monday Night Football/college football-driven ESPN (2.8 million). Additionally, FNC averaged 293,000 adults 25-54 in primetime this past week, +7% from the previous week and No. 5 on basic cable, behind ESPN (1.23 million), TBS (1.07 million) an NLCS-driven Fox Sports 1 (637,000) and NBA premiere week-driven TNT (528,000).
Compared with the same week in 2021 (beginning Oct. 18), Fox News shed -2% in total primetime viewers and -16% in the prime time demo. The network still gained +4% in total day viewers, but lost -11% in the total day demo, as Americans under 55 continue to leave linear cable news when there are no major events.
CNN had a subpar ratings week and saw week-to-week audience losses without a Jan. 6 committee hearing to boost viewership. CNN averaged 458,000 total day viewers during the week of Oct. 17, which is -18% from the prior week and No. 7 on all of basic cable. The network averaged 92,000 adults 25-54, which is -14% from the prior week and No. 14 on basic cable. Shifting over to primetime, CNN averaged 512,000 total viewers, -21% from the prior week and No. 14 on basic cable, to go with 109,000 adults 25-54, -22% from the prior week and No. 25 on basic cable. The 109,000 represents CNN’s smallest audience in the primetime demo year to-date and -2,000 behind MSNBC.
CNN’s year-over-year trend is also not-so-hot. The network is -30% in total primetime viewers and -26% in the primetime demo, -11% in total day viewers and -12% in the total day demo.
MSNBC finished the week of Oct. 17 as the fifth-most-watched basic cable network in primetime, averaging 1.13 million total viewers in the daypart. MSNBC also averaged 719,000 total day viewers, a strong number but still just fourth on basic cable. MSNBC’s 1.13 million total primetime viewer average is -14% from the prior week, while its 719,000 total day viewer average is -15% from the prior week. MSNBC lost some viewers after a strong week of Oct. 10 that had been driven by Jan. 6 committee hearing coverage. MSNBC also averaged 111,000 adults 25-54 in primetime during the week of Oct. 17, -16% from the prior week, but still +2,000 more than CNN and No. 24 on basic cable. The network averaged only 81,000 adults 25-54 in total day, which is -12% from the prior week, -11,000 less than CNN and No. 20 on all of basic cable.
Looking at the year-over-year trend, MSNBC is -7% in total primetime viewers, -17% in the primetime demo. The performance in total day viewing, however, was positive. The network is +3% in total day viewers and +4% in the total day demo from the same week in 2021.
Week of October 17 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen live-same-day data):
| PRIME TIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 2,301,000 | 1,126,000 | 512,000 |
| • A25-54: | 293,000 | 111,000 | 109,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,481,000 | 719,000 | 458,000 |
| • A25-54: | 203,000 | 81,000 | 92,000 |
In terms of individual programming, The Five is the most-watched cable news show for the ninth consecutive week. The news talk panel program averaged 3.4 million total viewers during the week of Oct. 17, up a bit from the prior week. Tucker Carlson Tonight is second place in total viewers (3.2 million at 8 p.m.), with Jesse Watters Primetime (2.9 million at 7 p.m.), Hannity (2.75 million at 9 p.m.) and Special Report with Bret Baier (2.42 million viewers at 6 p.m.) round out the top five.
Fox News is home to the week’s top 10 cable news shows in total viewers and 13 of the top 15. MSNBC’s 9 p.m. hour ranks No. 10, while The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell ranks No. 14.
Tucker Carlson Tonight remained No. 1 on cable news among adults 25-54, averaging 469,000 viewers from the measurement at 8 p.m. The Five ranked No. 2 (410,000), followed by Jesse Watters Primetime (372,000), Hannity (342,000) and Gutfeld! (328,000). Fox News is home to the week’s top 15 cable news shows among adults 25-54.
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: