NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FOX News Channel (FNC) finished August 2022 as the third most-watched network in all of television during weekday primetime, outpacing ABC and trailing only CBS and NBC. According to Nielsen Media Research, FNC remained cable’s highest-rated network in total day and primetime with total viewers and the top rated in total day with the 25-54 demo. FNC surpassed CNN and MSNBC combined with total day and primetime viewers and was number one in all of cable with total day and primetime viewers. FNC also ranked number one in cable news in primetime viewers for the 19th month in a row and notched 96 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the month. Notably, FNC was the only cable news network to post double-digit gains versus last month and August marked its most-watched month of the summer with every program gaining viewers month-to-month. In total day, FNC delivered 1.5 million viewers, 211,000 with the 25-54 demo and 128,000 with the 18-49 demo. In primetime, FNC netted 2.3 million viewers, 311,000 in the 25-54 demo, and 189,000 with the 18-49 demo. The network also delivered the top four programs in cable news with viewers and the top 15 of the top 16 cable news programs in the 25-54 demo.
Attracting 53% of cable news viewers across primetime and 52% in total day, FNC continued to deliver over half the genre’s audience share. According to Nielsen MRI Fusion, FNC also remained the most-watched network across the political spectrum with more Independents and Democrats choosing FNC as their preferred network than MSNBC and CNN in total day and primetime viewers as well as the A25-54 demo. FNC remained the number one network among Hispanic and Asian households in total day viewers.
Most notably, FNC’s Gutfeld! (2,191,000 P2+, 358,000 A25-54) made television history, becoming the first late-night cable program to finish the month as the most-watched late-night show in all of broadcast and cable, outpacing CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2,156,000 P2+, 377,000 A25-54) for the month of August. This is the first time Colbert has been unseated as late-night’s highest-rated host for a full month in more than five years (January 2017). Additionally, August marked the show’s highest-rated month since launching last April. Airing at 11 PM/ET, the program also topped every show on CNN and MSNBC in the younger 25-54 demo. Gutfeld! averaged 2.2 million viewers 358,000 with A25-54 this month, also besting ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1,144,000 P2+, 270,000 A25-54) and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1,339,000 P2+, 382,000 A25-54) in total viewers. FNC’s late-night show also topped Comedy Central’s The Daily Show (383,000 P2+, 148,000 A25-54) across the board in total viewers and the younger 25-54 demo.
At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s late afternoon offering The Five continued as the top-rated show in viewers for the fifth consecutive month and finishing first in cable news for the last eight out of nine months. The roundtable program averaged 3.4 million viewers, 427,000 with 25-54 demo and 270,000 in the 18-49 demo, outpacing every show on CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 8 PM/ET, Tucker Carlson Tonight continued as the highest-rated program in cable news in the younger 25-54 demo, averaging 3.3 million viewers and 486,000 in the demo, as well as 301,000 in the 18-49 category throughout July. Hannity at 9 PM/ET scored 2.9 million viewers, 397,000 in the 25-54 demo and 235,000 among adults 18-49, achieving the third most-watched program in all categories and outpacing the competition on MSNBC and CNN combined. MSNBC’s newly-launched 9 PM/ET program Alex Wagner Tonight delivered a paltry 1.6 million viewers and 157,000 in the 25-54 demo, which Hannity more than doubled. At 10 PM/ET, The Ingraham Angle garnered 2.5 million viewers, 358,000 in the 25-54 demo and 218,000 in 18-49. Notably, FNC’s The Five and Tucker Carlson Tonight both beat ABC’s The Bachelorette in total viewers.
Evening newscast Special Report with Bret Baier (weeknights, 6 PM/ET) averaged 2.4 million viewers and 306,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 7 PM/ET, FNC’s Jesse Watters Primetime finished as the fourth highest-rated cable news program, averaging 2.9 million viewers and 356,000 in the 25-54 demo, closing another month as the fastest-growing program in cable news. At 12 AM/ET, FOX News @ Night, hosted by incoming FOX News Sunday anchor Shannon Bream, surpassed the competition, delivering over 1.1 million viewers and 209,000 in A25-54.
From 4-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends FIRST garnered 552,000 viewers. FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) finished August with 1.3 million viewers and 212,000 in the demo, easily outpacing CNN’s New Day and MSNBC’s Morning Joe combined across both categories. In fact, the program beat every offering on CNN in total viewers and in the 25-54 demo. FOX & Friends continues to make its mark as the number one cable news program in the mornings in both categories for the 17th consecutive month.
FNC’s daytime lineup, kicking off with two-hour morning news program, America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET), delivered 1.7 million viewers and 226,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 1.7 million viewers and 221,000 in the 25-54 demo and bested CNN and MSNBC across the board. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 1.9 million viewers and 254,000 in the demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1.6 million viewers and 209,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 PM/ET, anchor and executive editor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.6 million viewers and 211,000 in the 25-54 demo, while Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET nabbed 1.7 million viewers and 208,000 in the 25-54 category for the month. Notably, FNC’s Outnumbered, America’s Newsroom, The Faulkner Focus, The Story and America Reports topped NBC’s TODAY with Hoda & Jenna and ABC’s GMA3 in viewers.
FNC continued to excel against the competition on weekends throughout the month, outpacing CNN and MSNBC combined with total viewers and the 25-54 demo during primetime on Saturdays and total day and primetime total viewers on Sundays. Unfiltered with Dan Bongino (Saturdays, 9PM/ET) was the most-watched program in viewers on Saturday, earning 1.4 million viewers and 161,000 with A25-54. FNC’s 8 PM/ET addition to its Saturday primetime lineup, One Nation helmed by Brian Kilmeade, garnered 1.2 million and 121,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC’s Lawrence Jones, the youngest Black solo primetime host in cable news, also scored 1.1 million viewers and 132,000 in the demo at 10 PM/ET with Lawrence Jones Cross Country. In the mornings, FNC’s FOX & Friends Weekend was the most-watched program on Saturday in the 25-54 demo, averaging 208,000 viewers and 1.3 million total viewers. Additionally, Cavuto Live at 10 AM/ET ranked in second in both categories with 1.3 million viewers and 193,000 in the 25-54 demo.
On Sundays, FNC’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo (Sundays, 10 AM/ET) earned the top-rated spot in the coveted 25-54 category, with 214,000 in the demo and 1.8 million viewers. At 8 PM/ET, Life Liberty and Levin earned 1.9 million viewers and 168,000 in the demo, marking the number one program in total viewership. MediaBuzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz at 11 AM/ET, delivered 1.4 million viewers and 166,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing the final month of CNN’s Reliable Sources across the board for the month and holding a nearly 80% advantage in viewers and a nearly 70% advantage in the demo over the CNN program. Meanwhile, FNC’s Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (Sundays, 7 PM/ET), outpaced every CNN and MSNBC program in both categories, drawing an audience of 1.7 million viewers and 147,000 in the 25-54 demo, rounding out the top three programs in viewers for the month while The Next Revolution with host Steve Hilton (Sundays, 9 PM/ET) secured 1.4 million viewers and 133,000 in the demo. Notably, FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends from 6-10 AM/ET) outdrew CNN and MSNBC every hour in total viewers and the 25-54 demo during the month, earning 1.2 million viewers and 175,000 with A25-54 on Sunday.
AUGUST 2022 RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:
Total Viewers: The Five (3,389,000), Tucker Carlson Tonight (3,316,000), Hannity (2,915,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (2,856,000), The Rachel Maddow Show (2,726,000)
Adults 25-54: Tucker Carlson Tonight (486,000), The Five (427,000), Hannity (397,000), Gutfeld! (358,000), The Ingraham Angle (358,000)
AUGUST 2022 VS. AUGUST 2021 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,487,000 total viewers – up 4% (211,000 in 25-54 – down 12%)
CNN: 561,000 total viewers – down 10% (110,000 in 25-54 – down 21%)
MSNBC: 804,000 total viewers – up 10% (89,000 in 25-54 – down 9%)
PRIMETIME
FNC: 2,337,000 total viewers – down 6% (311,000 in 25-54- down 22%)
CNN: 733,000 total viewers – down 11% (153,000 in 25-54 – down 21%)
MSNBC: 1,299,000 total viewers – up 5% (134,000 in 25-54 – down 19%)
FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service and has been the number one network in basic cable for the last six years and the most-watched television news channel for more than 20 consecutive years, currently attracting more than 50% of the cable news viewing audience according to Nielsen Media Research. Notably, Nielsen/MRI Fusion has consistently shown FNC to be the network of choice for more Democrat and Independent viewers, with the most politically diverse audience in cable news. Additionally, a 2021 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report stated FOX News leads the news industry in both brand loyalty, engagement, and expectations while a 2022 Brand Keys poll showed FNC dominating morning and evening news in customer loyalty engagement. Owned by Fox Corporation, FNC is available in nearly 80 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top 15 programs in the genre.
