Primary elections in this midterm year took place in several states on Tuesday, May 17, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Georgia. Three races of note were a mixed bag for Trump-backed candidates: Doug Mastriano prevailed to become the GOP nominee for governor of Pennsylvania; state Sen. Chuck Edwards defeated one-term House Rep. Madison Cawthorn in North Carolina; and, former syndicated TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz is in a tight race with Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania’s Republican Senate primary — as of May 30, a vote recount was still in progress.
As expected, Fox News Channel topped the night in election coverage, averaging 2.34 million total viewers and 434,000 within the key 25-54 demographic from 8 PM to 1 AM. Eastern, according to Nielsen Media Research.
MSNBC drew less than half of FNC’s total viewers (1.09 million) and just 30 percent of FNC’s adults 25-54 delivery (134,000).
CNN’s “Election Night America” aired from 7 PM thru midnight, followed by a two-hour “Don Lemon Tonight” in late night. That all averaged 637,000 viewers and 169,000 adults 25-54.
FNC and MSNBC each peaked in time slots they normally would on a typical prime time; FNC at 8 PM, in the “Tucker Carlson Tonight” hour (3.201 million viewers/559,000 adults 25-54), and MSNBC at 9 PM, in the “Rachel Maddow Show” hour (1.339 million viewers/171,000 adults 25-54). CNN’s total audience peaked at 9–10 PM (819,000); their adults 25-54 rose to 199,000 from 10 p.m.-midnight.
With recent economic issues like inflation, rising gas prices, and stalled returns at the entertainment industry’s streaming leader Netflix, there has been increased attention to the business networks. Fox Business Network achieved their highest-rated week in business day audience (Mon.-Fri. 9 AM-5 PM) since the week of the 2020 Presidential election (Nov. 2-6, 2020), averaging 237,000 viewers, which topped CNBC (225,000) for May 16-20. Additionally, FBN secured 229,000 viewers during market hours (9 AM-4 PM ET), which was its best week since January 2021.
Cable news averages for May 16-22, 2022:
Total Day (May 16-22 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.475 million viewers; 222,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.603 million viewers; 66,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.466 million viewers; 95,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.193 million viewers; 62,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.144 million viewers; 33,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.127 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.119 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.113 million viewers; 24,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (May 15-21 @ 8-11 p.m.; May 22 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.292 million viewers; 350,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.910 million viewers; 90,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.597 million viewers; 123,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.215 million viewers; 55,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.196 million viewers; 59,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.155 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.133 million viewers; 24,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.068 million viewers; 10,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.053 million viewers; 9,000 adults 25-54
Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top MSNBC and CNN programs with their respective associated ranks) in total viewers:
1. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 5/16/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.306 million viewers
2. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 5/18/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.305 million viewers
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 5/18/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.264 million viewers
4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 5/17/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.201 million viewers
5. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 5/19/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.172 million viewers
6. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 5/16/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.161 million viewers
7. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 5/17/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.138 million viewers
8. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 5/19/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.118 million viewers
9. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 5/19/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.909 million viewers
10. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 5/18/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.882 million viewers
32. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 5/16/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.035 million viewers
158. Real Time With Bill Maher “Episode 601” (HBO, Fri. 5/20/2022 10:00 PM, 58 min.) 0.917 million viewers
168. Election Night In America “2022 Midterm Primaries” (CNN, Tue. 5/17/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.819 million viewers
342. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 5/22/2022 11:07 PM, 34 min.) 0.456 million viewers
378. Kudlow (FBN, Mon. 5/16/2022 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.369 million viewers
381. Forensic Files “A Squires Riches” (HLN, late Tue. 5/17/2022 12:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.365 million viewers
474. Squawk On The Street (CNBC, Mon. 5/16/2022 9:00 AM, 120 min.) 0.275 million viewers
498. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee “Episode 7213” (TBS, Thu. 5/19/2022 10:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.266 million viewers
522. Heavy Rescue: 401 “(608) A Hail Mary Move” (TWC, Sun. 5/22/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.252 million viewers
673. Newsnation: Rush Hour (NWSN, Fri. 5/20/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.194 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, Tue. 5/17/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.559 million adults 25-54
2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 5/16/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.508 million adults 25-54
3. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 5/17/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.507 million adults 25-54
4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 5/18/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.496 million adults 25-54
5. The Ingraham Angle (FOXNC, Tue. 5/17/2022 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.479 million adults 25-54
6. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 5/19/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.456 million adults 25-54
7. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 5/19/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.455 million adults 25-54
8. The Ingraham Angle (FOXNC, Wed. 5/18/2022 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.454 million adults 25-54
9. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 5/19/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.446 million adults 25-54
10. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 5/18/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.420 million adults 25-54
62. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 5/16/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.228 million adults 25-54
89. Election Night In America “2022 Midterm Primaries” (CNN, Tue. 5/17/2022 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.199 million adults 25-54
95. Real Time With Bill Maher “Episode 601” (HBO, Fri. 5/20/2022 10:00 PM, 58 min.) 0.197 million adults 25-54
111. Forensic Files “Cement The Case” (HLN, late Sat. 5/21/2022 1:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.183 million adults 25-54
132. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 5/22/2022 11:07 PM, 34 min.) 0.160 million adults 25-54
245. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee “Episode 7213” (TBS, Thu. 5/19/2022 10:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.112 million adults 25-54
303. Undercover Boss (CNBC, Sat. 5/21/2022 10:00 PM, 58 min.) 0.100 million adults 25-54
363. Heavy Rescue: 401 “(608) A Hail Mary Move” (TWC, Sun. 5/22/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.088 million adults 25-54
661. The Claman Countdown (FBN, Wed. 5/18/2022 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.040 million adults 25-54
790. Newsnation Prime (NWSN, Sun. 5/22/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.030 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
