The Super Bowl was the largest event on TV for the week of Feb. 1. But things were not so super for another TV entity: Fox Business Network anchor Lou Dobbs. His program “Lou Dobbs Tonight” was abruptly canceled by Fox on Feb. 6. On the day prior, Fox News and three of its hosts — Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro, — were sued for $2.7 billion by Smartmatic, a voting-technology company that claims the Fox News personalities conspired to spread false claims that the company helped “steal” the presidential election.
Fox Business Network is currently providing interim programming in Dobbs’ former slot, but the network’s viewer average is expected to significantly drop as “Lou Dobbs Tonight” was, by far, its most-watched program. Here were the recent weekly averages of the show and Fox Business Network itself (in approximate total day data):
Feb. 1-5, 2021
“Lou Dobbs Tonight” 272,000 viewers
Fox Business Network 120,000 viewers
Jan. 25-29, 2021
“Lou Dobbs Tonight” 295,000 viewers
Fox Business Network 124,000 viewers
Jan. 18-22, 2021
“Lou Dobbs Tonight” 313,000 viewers
Fox Business Network 119,000 viewers
Jan. 11-15, 2021
“Lou Dobbs Tonight” 351,000 viewers
Fox Business Network 128,000 viewers
Jan. 4-8, 2021
“Lou Dobbs Tonight” 341,000 viewers
Fox Business Network 138,000 viewers
Although Dobbs’ pro-Donald Trump propaganda spiked the ratings for his Fox Business Network program, a source in-the-know told CNN’s Brian Stelter and Oliver Darcy that it had caused “consternation” at Fox, and, because many advertisers did not want to be associated with his content, “Lou Dobbs Tonight” was considered a “loss leader.”
As for FBN’s sister network Fox News Channel, it was prime time’s most-watched cable network in total viewers for the second consecutive week. It averaged 2.357 million viewers for Feb. 1-7, according to Nielsen Media Research, albeit a 10 percent decline from the previous week (Jan. 25-31).
MSNBC (2.266 million) and CNN (1.804 million) were the No. 2 and No. 3 networks, respectively, on all of cable in prime time — both down one percent from the week prior.
For the second week in a row, MSNBC (1.36 million) was cable’s No. 1 most-watched network in total day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.). CNN was runner-up with 1.277 million; Fox News had a slight 5 percent decline (to 1.256 million) for third place.
Here are the cable news prime time averages for Feb. 1-7, 2021:
Total Day (6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- MSNBC: 1.360 million viewers; 203,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 1.277 million viewers; 305,000 adults 25-54
- Fox News Channel: 1.256 million viewers; 200,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (Feb. 1-6 @ 8-11 p.m.; Feb. 7 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.357 million viewers; 353,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 2.266 million viewers; 343,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 1.804 million viewers; 445,000 adults 25-54
Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top CNN program and its associated rank) in total viewers:
1. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Thu. 2/4/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 4.018 million viewers
2. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Wed. 2/3/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.898 million viewers
3. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 2/1/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.706 million viewers
4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 2/1/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.598 million viewers
5. Rachel Maddow Show: Fallen Officer Sicknick Lies In Honor (MSNBC, Tue. 2/2/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.557 million viewers
6. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 2/3/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.534 million viewers
7. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 2/2/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.523 million viewers
8. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 2/4/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.406 million viewers
9. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Fri. 2/5/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.330 million viewers
10. Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (MSNBC, Mon. 2/1/2021 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.126 million viewers
22. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Thu. 2/4/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.706 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top Fox News program and its associated rank) among adults 25-54:
1. Cuomo Prime Time (CNN, Tue. 2/2/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.659 million adults 25-54
2. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Thu. 2/4/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.653 million adults 25-54
3. Erin Burnett Outfront (CNN, Thu. 2/4/2021 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.636 million adults 25-54
4. CNN Tonight (CNN, Tue. 2/2/2021 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.627 million adults 25-54
5. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Thu. 2/4/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.625 million adults 25-54
6. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Wed. 2/3/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.622 million adults 25-54
7. Situation Room (CNN, Thu. 2/4/2021 6:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.608 million adults 25-54
8. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 2/1/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.608 million adults 25-54
9. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Tue. 2/2/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.601 million adults 25-54
10. Rachel Maddow Show: Fallen Officer Sicknick Lies In Honor (MSNBC, Tue. 2/2/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.590 million adults 25-54
12. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 2/1/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.575 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
