Once again, the three major cable news networks were cable’s most-watched outlets of the week. But for the most recent week (of Dec. 7-13, 2020), Fox News Channel was tops in total viewers. While FNC was usually the most-watched cable news outlet in pre-election time, it was only the second week within the past six weeks it attained the top spot in cable news.
Fox News was the audience leader in prime time as well; a margin of +19 percent than runner-up ESPN (2.32 million viewers) and +28 percent over third-place MSNBC (2.155 million).
While FNC remains prominent at night, a new competitor emerged on Dec. 7 in the 7-8 p.m. hour. “Greg Kelly Reports” on rising news outlet Newsmax averaged 229,000 viewers within the key demographic of adults 25-54; FNC’s “The Story with Martha MacCallum” drew 203,000 adults 25-54. It’s the first time Newsmax bested Fox News in any significant data point (on the total viewers front, though, “The Story” drew 1.586 million and “Greg Kelly Reports” 949,000). Newsmax has seen some ratings increases since the presidential election, with observers pointing to pro-Trump supporters checking out alternative sources after Fox News’ confirmation of Joe Biden’s victory. The 7 p.m. hour, hosted by the popular former WNYW “Good Day New York” anchor, is the slot for the network’s No. 1 show.
As for CNN, it achieved its sixth straight weekly victory among cable news networks in adults 25-54. It averaged 203,000 viewers in the demo in total day; 441,000 adults 25-54 in prime time. Another example of CNN’s recent demo success: citing back to the 7-8 p.m. hour on Dec. 7, “Erin Burnett Outfront” (423,000 adults 25-54) nearly bested the <em>combined</em> demo performances of both Fox News’ “The Story with Martha MacCallum” and Newsmax’s “Greg Kelly Reports.”
In full, here are the cable news prime time averages for Dec. 7-13, 2020:
Total Day (6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
Fox News Channel: 1.374 million viewers; 203,000 adults 25-54
CNN: 1.220 million viewers; 282,000 adults 25-54
MSNBC: 1.293 million viewers; 187,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (Nov. 30-Dec. 5 @ 8-11 p.m.; Dec. 6 @ 7-11 p.m.)
Fox News Channel: 2.762 million viewers; 378,000 adults 25-54
CNN: 1.815 million viewers; 441,000 adults 25-54
MSNBC: 2.155 million viewers; 321,000 adults 25-54
Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top CNN program and its associated rank) in total viewers:
1. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 12/9/2020 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.980 million viewers
2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 12/10/2020 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.883 million viewers
3. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 12/9/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.769 million viewers
4. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Fri. 12/11/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.724 million viewers
5. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Wed. 12/9/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.703 million viewers
6. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 12/10/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.637 million viewers
7. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 12/8/2020 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.409 million viewers
8. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Tue. 12/8/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.349 million viewers
9. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 12/7/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.327 million viewers
10. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Thu. 12/10/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.293 million viewers
22. Cuomo Prime Time (CNN, Fri. 12/11/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.741 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs among adults 25-54:
1. Cuomo Prime Time (CNN, Wed. 12/9/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.604 million adults 25-54
2. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Fri. 12/11/2020 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.603 million adults 25-54
3. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Wed. 12/9/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.597 million adults 25-54
4. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Wed. 12/9/2020 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.591 million adults 25-54
5. Cuomo Prime Time (CNN, Fri. 12/11/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.579 million adults 25-54
6. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 12/9/2020 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.578 million adults 25-54
7. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 12/10/2020 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.575 million adults 25-54
8. CNN Tonight (CNN, Wed. 12/9/2020 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.573 million adults 25-54
9. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Tue. 12/8/2020 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.571 million adults 25-54
10. Erin Burnett Outfront (CNN, Fri. 12/11/2020 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.559 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
