“`text
primary_keywords: TV ratings, cable news viewership, news program audiences
audience: Media professionals and news enthusiasts
tone: Analytical and informative
dateline_location: NEW YORK
evergreen_background_topics: Media consumption trends, television audience measurement, cable news industry
original_brand_terms: MSNBC, Fox News, CNN
“`
Cable News Ratings Overview: A Look at Viewership Numbers
Table of Contents
an analysis of recent cable news ratings reveals key trends in viewership across different networks and time slots.
As the Memorial Day weekend approached,cable news networks saw varied performance in their viewership numbers. MSNBC did not have any shows that surpassed one million total viewers on the Thursday leading up to the holiday. The 5 p.m. ET broadcast of Deadline: White House with Nicole Wallace achieved the highest viewership for the network that evening, drawing 976,000 total viewers.The Briefing with Just psaki secured the second-highest viewership for MSNBC. The weeknight was MSNBCS seventh most-watched show of the evening.
On the other hand, The Five was the top-rated show for Fox News. Meanwhile, The Lead with Jake Tapper at 5 p.m. ET led the ratings for CNN.
Key Demographic Data: Adults 25-54
The Five led the way for Fox News, while the 5 p.m. hour The Lead with Jake Tapper was first for CNN.
The 25-54 demographic is a crucial segment for advertisers, and the following data reflects their viewership preferences:
- Total Day: Fox News Channel (FNC) led with 199,000 viewers, followed by CNN with 67,000, and MSNBC with 45,000.
- Prime Time: FNC again topped the charts with 298,000 viewers,while CNN had 73,000,and MSNBC garnered 65,000.
| FNC: | CNN: | MSNBC: | |
| 4PM | Cain: 216 |
The Arena: 102 |
Wallace: 88 |
| 5PM | Five: 355 |
Tapper: 138 |
Wallace: 69 |
| 6pm | Baier: 231 |
Tapper: 115 |
Melber: 62 |
| 7pm | Ingraham: 236 |
Burnett: 74 |
Weeknight: 56 |
| 8PM | Watters: 334 |
Cooper: 69 |
Hayes: 52 |
| 9PM | Hannity: 210 |
Collins: 67 |
Psaki: 55 |
| 10PM | Gutfeld!: 351 |
Phillip: 83 |
last Word: 89 |
| 11PM | Gallgher: 207 |
Coates: 73 |
11th Hour: 55 |
Total Viewership Numbers
Here’s a breakdown of the total viewers (Live+SD x 1,000) for the networks:
- total Day: FNC: 1,771, CNN: 379, MSNBC: 563
- Prime: FNC: 2,816, CNN: 429, MSNBC: 888
| FNC: | CNN: | MSNBC: | |
| 4PM | Cain: 1.979 |
The Arena: 525 |
Wallace: 867 |
| 5PM | Five: 3.631 |
Tapper: 611 |
Wallace: 976 |
| 6pm | Baier: 2.719 |
Tapper: 510 |
Melber: 860 |
| 7pm | Ingraham: 2.536 |
Burnett: 532 |
weeknight: 707 |
| 8PM | Watters: 3.235 |
Cooper: 462 |
Hayes: 862 |
| 9PM | Hannity: 2.301 |
Collins: 407 |
Psaki: 953 |
| 10PM | Gutfeld!: 2.913 |
Phillip: 417 |
Last Word: 850 |
| 11PM | Gallagher: 1.636 |
Coates: 267 |
11th Hour: 501 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What factors influence cable news ratings?
- Cable news ratings are influenced by major news events, political cycles, the popularity of specific hosts, and the overall media landscape.
- How do cable news networks use ratings data?
- networks use ratings data to set advertising rates, make programming decisions, and evaluate the performance of their shows and hosts.
- What is the 25-54 demographic, and why is it important?
- The 25-54 demographic is a key age group for advertisers because they are typically in their prime earning and spending years, making them a valuable target audience.
