The second and third days of the hearings focused on the Jan. 6th insurrection at the Capitol took place during the week ending June 19.
For day No. 2 on Monday, June 13, approximately ten million viewers watched across several networks — about half of its opening night audience from June 9. Almost 4.5 million of those viewers tuned in on the three main cable news outlets. Unlike the many other news events of the past two years, the rankings according to their audience figures uniquely reflect the interest level by their respective channel’s typical crowd.
MSNBC, which had also topped its cable brethren on opening night, did so once again in total viewers with averaging 2.49 million from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern, as tabulated by Nielsen Media Research. The network’s two-hour prime time recap later that night (from 8-10 p.m.) drew 2.34 million viewers and 218,000 in the key 25-54 demographic, well above their normal nightly levels.
CNN (from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) posted 1.37 million. Its daytime coverage was cable’s tops among adults 25-54, with an approximate 200,000 within the demo.
Fox News was in the uncharacteristic third place spot with 960,000 total viewers from 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For the hearing’s third day (on Thursday, June 16), it was cable’s same ranking order in the daytime hours: MSNBC (noon-4 p.m.) 2.61 million total viewers, CNN (11:59 a.m.-3:45 p.m.) 1.33 million and Fox News (1-4 p.m.) 743,000. Once again, MSNBC aired a recap at night (from 8-10 p.m.) which delivered 2.46 million viewers and 326,000 adults 25-54 — a close runner-up to FNC’s duo of “Carlson” and “Hannity” (2.84 million total/444,000 A25-54 average) and a far outpacing of CNN’s “AC360” and “CNN Tonight” (622,000 total/140,000 A25-54 average).
Cable news averages for June 13-19, 2022:
Total Day (June 13-19 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.360 million viewers; 210,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.882 million viewers; 100,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.432 million viewers; 91,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.150 million viewers; 47,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.138 million viewers; 32,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.130 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.115 million viewers; 22,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.113 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (June 13-18 @ 8-11 p.m.; June 19 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.198 million viewers; 315,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.423 million viewers; 149,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.504 million viewers; 118,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.182 million viewers; 63,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.182 million viewers; 65,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.160 million viewers; 27,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.141 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.067 million viewers; 8,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.049 million viewers; 6,000 adults 25-54
Top 10 most-watched cable news programs in total viewers:
1. The Five (Fox News Channel, Tue. 6/14/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.351 million viewers
2. The Five (Fox News Channel, Mon. 6/13/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.295 million viewers
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News Channel, Tue. 6/14/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.268 million viewers
4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News Channel, Mon. 6/13/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.200 million viewers
5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News Channel, Wed. 6/15/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.062 million viewers
6. Tucker Carlson Tonight (Fox News Channel, Thu. 6/16/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.013 million viewers
7. The Five (Fox News Channel, Thu. 6/16/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.006 million viewers
8. The Five (Fox News Channel, Wed. 6/15/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.998 million viewers
9. January 6th Hearings: Day Two Hearing (MSNBC, Mon. 6/13/2022 10:45 AM, 126 min.) 2.971 million viewers
10. January 6th Hearings: Day Three Hearings (MSNBC, Thu. 6/16/2022 1:01 PM, 165 min.) 2.964 million viewers
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
