Fox News has now achieved 38 consecutive weeks as the most-watched network on all of basic cable (not just cable news) in the 24-hour daypart—and 84 consecutive weeks as the most-watched cable news network with its Nielsen ratings performance during the week of Sept. 19, 2022.
According to live plus same day data from Nielsen in total day (6 a.m.-6 a.m. ET), Fox News averaged 1.44 million total day viewers and 206,000 adults 25-54. The 1.44 million is +1% from what the network averaged during the previous week (Sept. 12)—and the 206,000 in A25-54 is +6% from that same week. Fox News improved to No. 1 in total primetime cable viewers this past week, moving ahead of ESPN by averaging 2.155 million total viewers (-3% week-to-week) and 281,000 adults 25-54 (flat week-to-week). Additionally, Fox News drew the second-most adults 25-54 in cable behind ESPN. The sports news behemoth averaged 881,000 A25-54 demo viewers in primetime and 355,000 in total day.
MSNBC finished the week of Sept. 19 as the third-most-watched cable network in primetime (1.25 million) and the second-most-watched in total day (844,000). The 1.25 million in prime is down less than -1% from the prior week, while the 844,000 is +7% versus what the network averaged in total day the prior week. The network averaged 110,000 adults 25-54 in primetime, ranking No. 23 on basic cable—and -2% from the prior week, and averaged 82,000 adults 25-54 in total day, which is up +1% with the prior week, placing it at No. 16 on all of basic cable.
MSNBC, per usual, beat CNN in total viewers, but came up short in the key A25-54 demo.
CNN averaged 603,000 total viewers and 116,000 adults 25-54 in total day during the week of Sept. 19. That’s +1% in total viewers and +7% in adults 25-54, respectively, from the week prior. When it comes to total viewers in total day, CNN ranks No. 4 on all of basic cable, and when it comes to adults 25-54 in total day, it ranks No. 6. Shifting over to primetime, where the trend isn’t quite as positive, CNN averaged 674,000 total viewers (No. 8 on basic cable) and 132,000 adults 25-54 (No. 18 on basic cable) this past week. That’s -4% in total viewers and -3% in A25-54 relative to the prior week.
Relative to the week of Sept. 19, 2021 (the year-ago week), in primetime, Fox News is down -10% in total viewers and -28% in the A25-54 demo. In total day viewing, the network is down -4% in total viewers and -17% in the key demo. CNN shed -13% in total primetime viewers and -29% in the primetime demo, -6% in the total day demo but actually gains +10% in total day total viewers. MSNBC shed -7% in total primetime viewers, -35% in the primetime demo, -5% in the total day demo, yet gained +15% in total day total viewers.
Week of September 19 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen live-same-day data):
| PRIME TIME | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 2,155,000 | 1,251,000 | 674,000 |
| • A25-54: | 281,000 | 110,000 | 132,000 |
| TOTAL DAY | Fox News | MSNBC | CNN |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,440,000 | 844,000 | 603,000 |
| • A25-54: | 206,000 | 82,000 | 116,000 |
In terms of individual programming, The Five is the most-watched cable news show for the fifth consecutive week. The news talk panel program averaged 3.33 million total viewers during the week of Sept. 19, up from the prior week. Tucker Carlson Tonight is second place in total viewers (3 million at 8 p.m.), Jesse Watters Primetime (2.68 million at 7 p.m.), Hannity (2.64 million at 9 p.m.) and Special Report with Bret Baier (2.405 million viewers at 6 p.m.) round out the top five.
The Five also averaged the most adults 25-54 of any cable news show this past week (425,000), beating perennial top finisher Tucker Carlson Tonight (411,000), Gutfeld! (347,000) Hannity (336,000) and Jesse Watters Primetime (332,000) were the top five cable news offerings for the week 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: