For the final week of February 2021, Fox News Channel accomplished a feat it has not done since the final week of October 2020 — topping all of cable news in both total viewers AND the key demographic of adults 25-54. It is a position FNC had long been familiar pre-2020 election. For the week ending Feb. 28, Fox News averaged 1.388 million viewers and 222,000 adults 25-54 in total day (6 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.) data from Nielsen Media Research; for prime time (Feb. 22-27 @ 8-11 p.m. and Feb. 28 @ 7-11 p.m.), FNC drew 2.478 million viewers and 376,000 adults 25-54. Each of those total-viewer marks were tops on all of cable; their total day 25-54 performance also leading cable.
FNC was most assisted on Sunday Feb. 28 with its live broadcast of Donald Trump’s speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) from Orlando, Fla. It generated the network’s highest 5PM ET hour ever on a Sunday among total viewers with 5.74 million total viewers and 966,000 in the 25-54 demo. The pre and post programs that bookended the speech also benefited: “America Reports” with John Roberts and Sandra Smith scored 3.15 million viewers and 501,000 with 25-54 in the 4PM ET hour; “The Big Sunday Show” at 6PM ET notched 3.72 million viewers and 708,000 with 25-54 demo.
CNN, the usual Sunday prime time cable news leader, took a backseat to Fox News on the night of Sunday Feb. 28. FNC continued its positive ratings wave from the late afternoon with “Life, Liberty & Levin” at 8PM ET having drawn 2.25 million viewers and 334,000 in the 25-54 demo. “The Next Revolution” with host Steve Hilton at 9PM ET delivered 1.88 million viewers and 351,000 in the 25-54 demo for its exclusive interview with Trump, topping CNN’s just-renewed “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” (1.32 million viewers/286,000 adults 25-54). within the hour.
MSNBC was the week’s respectable No. 2 cable network in total day (1.166 million) and prime time (1.967 million). Despite FNC’s recent return to the lead cable network spot, MSNBC still managed to win the entire month of February 2021, averaging 1.4 million viewers in total day (vs. Fox News’ 1.3 million and CNN’s 1.2 million). It is MSNBC’s first time ever as the most-watched network on cable (not just cable news) for one full calendar month.
Boosted by the second Trump impeachment trial and up-to-date COVID-19 information, MSNBC’s live breaking news coverage drew 1.53 million total viewers during their dayside slot of 9am-4pm ET (vs. CNN’s 1.52 million and Fox News’ 1.4 million); also, the top viewer figure in all of cable.
Here are the cable news averages for Feb. 22-28, 2021 — the total viewer figures were cable’s three best marks for the week in both total day and prime time:
Total Day (Feb. 22-28 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.388 million viewers; 222,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.166 million viewers; 159,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.909 million viewers; 201,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (Feb. 22-27 @ 8-11 p.m.; Feb. 28 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.478 million viewers; 376,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.987 million viewers; 283,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 1.295 million viewers; 298,000 adults 25-54
Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top CNN program and its associated rank) in total viewers:
1. Special Report “Trump Speaks at CPAC” (FOXNC, Sun. 2/28/2021 4:47 PM, 94 min.) 5.736 million viewers
2. The Big Sunday Show (FOXNC, Sun. 2/28/2021 6:21 PM, 39 min.) 3.720 million viewers
3. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Wed. 2/24/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.468 million viewers
4. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 2/22/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.463 million viewers
5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 2/25/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.407 million viewers
6. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 2/22/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.343 million viewers
7. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Tue. 2/23/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.329 million viewers
8. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 2/23/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.298 million viewers
9. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Thu. 2/25/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.238 million viewers
10. America Reports (FOXNC, Sun. 2/28/2021 4:00 PM, 47 min.) 3.148 million viewers
63. Cuomo Prime Time (CNN, Mon. 2/22/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.825 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top CNN program and its associated rank) among adults 25-54:
1. Special Report “Trump Speaks at CPAC” (FOXNC, Sun. 2/28/2021 4:47 PM, 94 min.) 0.966 million adults 25-54
2. The Big Sunday Show (FOXNC, Sun. 2/28/2021 6:21 PM, 39 min.) 0.708 million adults 25-54
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 2/25/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.572 million adults 25-54
4. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 2/22/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.538 million adults 25-54
5. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Wed. 2/24/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.513 million adults 25-54
6. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 2/22/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.501 million adults 25-54
7. America Reports (FOXNC, Sun. 2/28/2021 4:00 PM, 47 min.) 0.501 million adults 25-54
8. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 2/25/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.499 million adults 25-54
9. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Tue. 2/23/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.491 million adults 25-54
10. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 2/23/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.486 million adults 25-54
12. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Mon. 2/22/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.445 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
