FOX News Continues to Hold Weekly Ratings Edge

For the week ending May 16, Fox News Channel retained the overall cable lead among total viewers in total day and in prime time. Compared to the previous week, the network increased in both total viewers and in the key adults 25-54 demographic; for total day, up 11 percent (in total viewers) and up nine percent (in 25-54), and for prime time, up 9 percent (in total viewers) and up 7.5 percent (in 25-54). Fox News Channel also led the week in cable among 25-54 in total day.

The May 11th edition of CBS late-night talk show “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” rose to its largest Tuesday audience in two months, having delivered 2.94 million viewers, according to Nielsen Live + 3 Day ratings. The episode’s feature guest was former First Lady Michelle Obama. Two nights later, Fox News Channel’s 11 p.m. talk show “Gutfeld” averaged 1.77 million viewers — its largest audience since its launch, and with 409,000 viewers within the 25-54 demo, it topped Colbert.

MSNBC’s town hall “Vaccinating America” on May 12 averaged 1.86 million viewers. The special featured Lawrence O’Donnell’s interview with President Joe Biden as well as Telemundo’s Vanessa Hauc hosting a panel with Dr. Anthony Fauci, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. Not only did the competing “The Ingraham Angle” on Fox News Channel top it in total viewers (2.27 million) but also doubled the MSNBC program in 25-54 (442,000 vs. 218,000).

MSNBC’s most-watched program of the week in total viewers was the May 13 edition of “The Rachel Maddow Show”. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky was the night’s featured guest, following CDC’s public declaration from earlier that day that those already vaccinated no longer need to wear masks. It drew 2.7 million viewers, ranking 14th among the week’s cable news telecasts.

Here are the cable news averages for May 10-16, 2021 — the total viewer figures were cable’s three best marks for the week in total day:

Total Day (May 10-16 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)

• Fox News Channel: 1.303 million viewers; 221,000 adults 25-54 
• MSNBC: 0.833 million viewers; 105,000 adults 25-54
• CNN: 0.638 million viewers; 154,000 adults 25-54

Prime Time (May 10-15 @ 8-11 p.m.; May 16 @ 7-11 p.m.)

• Fox News Channel: 2.348 million viewers; 369,000 adults 25-54
• MSNBC: 1.487 million viewers; 190,000 adults 25-54
• CNN: 0.932 million viewers; 233,000 adults 25-54

Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top CNN program with its associated rank) in total viewers:

1. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 5/11/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.266 million viewers

2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 5/12/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.226 million viewers

3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 5/13/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.198 million viewers

4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 5/10/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.125 million viewers

5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Fri. 5/14/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.957 million viewers

6. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 5/10/2021 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.927 million viewers

7. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 5/11/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.915 million viewers

8. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 5/12/2021 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.882 million viewers

9. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 5/12/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.821 million viewers

10. Hannity (FOXNC, Mon. 5/10/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.816 million viewers

14. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Thu. 5/13/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.701 million viewers

109. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Tue. 5/11/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.269 million viewers

Top 10 cable news programs (and the top MSNBC and CNN programs with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:

1. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 5/10/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.535 million adults 25-54

2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 5/12/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.532 million adults 25-54

3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 5/11/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.529 million adults 25-54

4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 5/13/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.512 million adults 25-54

5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Fri. 5/14/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.474 million adults 25-54

6. Hannity (FOXNC, Mon. 5/10/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.455 million adults 25-54

7. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 5/13/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.448 million adults 25-54

8. The Ingraham Angle (FOXNC, Thu. 5/13/2021 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.441 million adults 25-54

9. The Ingraham Angle (FOXNC, Mon. 5/10/2021 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.441 million adults 25-54

10. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 5/11/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.435 million adults 25-54

12. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Thu. 5/13/2021 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.409 million adults 25-54

15. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Tue. 5/11/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.397 million adults 25-54

35. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Tue. 5/11/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.307 million adults 25-54

Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

BNM Staff