During the week ending Mar. 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (on Mar. 16) provided a live address, on streaming video, to all members of the U.S. Congress. Although his speech was brief and most of its purpose — requesting a no-fly zone over his country to stop Russian attacks — was not new, he singled out U.S. President Biden by telling him, “You are the leader of your great nation. I wish you to be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace.”
From 9–10 AM Eastern on Mar. 16 for Zelensky’s address, Fox News led cable news with 2.72 million total viewers, including 404,000 within the key 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. MSNBC (1.32 million total viewers / 132,000 adults 25-54 for 9-9:37 a.m. ET) and CNN (1.21 million total viewers / 293,000 adults 25-54 for 9-10 a.m. ET) were well behind FNC but each still potent.
Zelensky later appeared in a two-part interview with NBC’s Lester Holt. Part one aired on the Mar. 16 edition of “NBC Nightly News,” which drew 6.56 million total viewers, including 1.23 million adults 25-54, approximately 2.5 million total viewers (and 500,000 adults 25-54) less than ABC’s “World News Tonight” from Mar. 7 – the first time Zelensky appeared in an interview at evening news time.
The second part aired on the Mar. 17 edition of NBC’s “Today,” which attracted 2.83 million total viewers, including 0.77 million adults 25-54; in total viewers, it was this morning news program’s top edition of the week (Mar. 14-18).
As documented here last week (https://barrettmedia.com/2022/03/21/volodymyr-zelenskyy-interview-with-david-muir-delivers-for-abc-news/ ), CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” had continued to top late night in total viewers while it featured guests that provided insight into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But for the period of Mar. 14-16, a new occupant held the reign atop all of television: Fox News Channel’s “Gutfeld!” Its 2.23 million-viewer average for those three nights eked by Colbert’s 2.22 million (there were no “Late Show” editions on Mar. 17-18 due to NCAA March Madness).
For its weeknight slot during Mar. 14-18, “Gutfeld!” delivered its second-highest-rated week since its Apr. 5, 2021 launch with 2.11 million total viewers and 397,000 in the 25-54 demo.
Cable news averages for March 14-20, 2022:
Total Day (March 14-20 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.691 million viewers; 300,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.771 million viewers; 187,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.683 million viewers; 85,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.212 million viewers; 63,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.130 million viewers; 33,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.127 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.110 million viewers; 19,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.102 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (March 14-19 @ 8-11 p.m.; March 20 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.572 million viewers; 436,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.078 million viewers; 144,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 1.014 million viewers; 280,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.238 million viewers; 69,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.162 million viewers; 26,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.159 million viewers; 57,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.153 million viewers; 25,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.043 million viewers; 7,000 adults 25-54
Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top MSNBC program with their respective associated ranks) in total viewers:
1. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 3/14/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.950 million viewers
2. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 3/15/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.880 million viewers
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 3/15/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.632 million viewers
4. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 3/14/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.566 million viewers
5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 3/16/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.442 million viewers
6. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 3/16/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.352 million viewers
7. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 3/15/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.349 million viewers
8. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 3/17/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.289 million viewers
9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 3/14/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.227 million viewers
10. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 3/17/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.175 million viewers
95. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 3/14/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.536 million viewers
109. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Tue. 3/15/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.384 million viewers
• Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, Fri. 3/18/2022 10:01 PM, 56 min.) 0.909 million viewers
• Daily Show (CMDY, Wed. 3/16/2022 11:00 PM, 31 min.) 0.452 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top CNN, MSNBC, and HLN programs with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54
1. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 3/14/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.733 million adults 25-54
2. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 3/15/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.665 million adults 25-54
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 3/15/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.663 million adults 25-54
4. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 3/14/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.626 million adults 25-54
5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 3/16/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.623 million adults 25-54
6. Hannity (FOXNC, Mon. 3/14/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.613 million adults 25-54
7. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 3/15/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.610 million adults 25-54
8. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 3/14/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.553 million adults 25-54
9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 3/15/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.519 million adults 25-54
10. Special Report with Bret Baier (FOXNC, Tue. 3/15/2022 6:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.516 million adults 25-54
28. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Wed. 3/16/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.414 million adults 25-54
118. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 3/14/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.270 million adults 25-54
202. Daily Show (CMDY, Wed. 3/16/2022 11:00 PM, 31 min.) 0.191 million adults 25-54
220. Forensic Files II “Dog Proof” (HLN, late Sun. 3/20/2022 12:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.183 million adults 25-54
• Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, Fri. 3/18/2022 10:01 PM, 56 min.) 0.156 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
