As they had promised in late July, the January 6th committee returned in the fall to hold another hearing investigating the insurrection at the Capitol. On Thursday, Oct. 13, the committee — which voted unanimously to subpoena Donald Trump — presented the notion that he had privately known the official 2020 election results were legitimate but publicly refused to acknowledge that reality and attempted anyway to overturn those results. And MSNBC saw the ratings win.
In addition, there was never-before-seen documentary footage shown of congressional leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer taking refuge during the insurrection and scrambled to respond to the unfolding crisis.
The eight previous hearings were a TV ratings success in June and in July, especially for MSNBC and CNN. For this ninth hearing, the aforementioned cable outlets received ratings benefits once again. Based on total viewers, MSNBC ranked first among all TV networks for the eighth straight hearing and tops among cable news networks for the ninth straight hearing. From 1:02 p.m. to 3:34 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 13, MSNBC averaged 3.16 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. That figure nearly topped the combined viewer total from CNN (2.42 million) and Fox News Channel (866,000).
Compared to the six previous daytime hearings, MSNBC viewership was up among both total viewers (+2 percent) and adults 25-54 (+4 percent).
MSNBC averaged 2.15 million viewers during dayside hours (10am-4pm) on Oct. 13 – their largest dayside audience in 18 months – surpassing all previous January 6th hearing days. It was on this busy news day that also featured the jury sentencing of the Parkland High School shooter.
MSNBC’s two-hour prime time recap and analysis for the ninth committee hearing posted 2.42 million total viewers which included 308,000 adults 25-54 — above-average figures for the network in the weeknight 8-10 p.m. time slot, although still not enough to top Fox News Channel’s duo of “Tucker Carlson Tonight” and “Hannity” (2-hour average of 2.97 million viewers/403,000 adults 25-54) that night.
While MSNBC led in total audience, CNN led cable news In the key 25-54 demographic with 440,000. MSNBC (381,000) was close behind while Fox News (166,000) was in third.
Like their previous daytime airings of hearings, Fox News Channel’s audience figures experienced a downward hourly trend — atypically so, for its usual weekday fare. At 1 p.m., FNC drew 982,000 viewers; by 2 p.m., 793,000; and, for the hearing’s final half-hour at 3 p.m., 786,000. Once the hearing concluded, FNC rebounded: “The Story” at 3:33-4 p.m. 1.07 million; “Your World with Neil Cavuto” at 4-5 p.m. 1.25 million; and then, “The Five” at 5-6 p.m. 3.26 million.
Fox News did lead in coverage of the other live news event of that day, the aforementioned Parkland shooter jury verdict, delivering 1.75 million total viewers including 237,000 within the 25-54 demo, from 10:50-11:27 a.m. Eastern. CNN and MSNBC each drew 990,000 viewers with CNN (186,000) having the edge over MSNBC (113,000) in 25-54.
NewsNation continued its recent positive ratings momentum (following the arrival of “Cuomo” in prime time) with its Friday Oct. 14 telecast of the Georgia senatorial debate between Democrat incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger and former pro football running back Herschel Walker. It was nascent news outlet’s most-watched hour of the week with 185,000 viewers. “Cuomo” immediately led out of that debate that night with 173,000 viewers.
Cable news averages for October 10-16, 2022:
Total Day (Oct. 10-16 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.419 million viewers; 195,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.843 million viewers; 92,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.560 million viewers; 107,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.161 million viewers; 46,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.125 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.119 million viewers; 29,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.107 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.089 million viewers; 18,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (Oct. 10-15 @ 8-11 p.m.; Oct. 16 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.186 million viewers; 275,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.310 million viewers; 132,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.649 million viewers; 139,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.171 million viewers; 416,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.168 million viewers; 586,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.128 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.095 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.085 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.044 million viewers; 4,000 adults 25-54
Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) in total viewers:
1. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 10/12/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.539 million viewers
2. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 10/10/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.519 million viewers
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 10/11/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.417 million viewers
4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 10/12/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.369 million viewers
5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 10/10/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.272 million viewers
6. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 10/13/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.260 million viewers
7. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 10/11/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.221 million viewers
8. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 10/13/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.197 million viewers
9. January 6th Hearings “Hearing Day Nine” (MSNBC, Thu. 10/13/2022 1:02 PM, 152 min.) 3.163 million viewers
10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 10/10/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.915 million viewers
25. Attack on Democracy “Jan 6th Hearings 10/13/22” (CNN, Thu. 10/13/2022 1:02 PM, 151 min.) 2.419 million viewers
194. Real Time With Bill Maher “Episode 616” (HBO, Fri. 10/14/2022 10:00 PM, 53 min.) 0.797 million viewers
337. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 10/16/2022 11:02 PM, 34 min.) 0.501 million viewers
353. The Daily Show (CMDY, Tue. 10/11/2022 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.453 million viewers
360. Kudlow (FBN, Thu. 10/13/2022 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.438 million viewers
389. Forensic Files “Paintball” (HLN, Fri. 10/14/2022 12:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.378 million viewers
453. The News with Shepard Smith (CNBC, Mon. 10/10/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.297 million viewers
617. Highway Thru Hell “Downhill Slide” (TWC, Tue. 10/11/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.190 million viewers
633. Debate Night: Warnock/Walker (NWSN, Fri. 10/14/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.185 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:
1. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 10/12/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.515 million adults 25-54
2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 10/11/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.492 million adults 25-54
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 10/13/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.481 million adults 25-54
4. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 10/12/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.448 million adults 25-54
5. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 10/13/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.444 million adults 25-54
6. Attack on Democracy “Jan 6th Hearings 10/13/22” (CNN, Thu. 10/13/2022 1:02 PM, 151 min.) 0.440 million adults 25-54
7. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 10/10/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.436 million adults 25-54
8. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 10/10/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.407 million adults 25-54
9. Attack on Democracy “Jan 6th H. Post Analysis 10/13/22” (CNN, Thu. 10/13/2022 3:33 PM, 27 min.) 0.392 million adults 25-54
10. January 6th Hearings “Hearing Day Nine” (MSNBC, Thu. 10/13/2022 1:02 PM, 152 min.) 0.381 million adults 25-54
80. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 10/16/2022 11:02 PM, 34 min.) 0.209 million adults 25-54
138. Forensic Files “The Music Case” (HLN, Fri. 10/14/2022 5:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.157 million adults 25-54
149. The Daily Show (CMDY, Tue. 10/11/2022 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.151 million adults 25-54
240. Real Time With Bill Maher “Episode 616” (HBO, Fri. 10/14/2022 10:00 PM, 53 min.) 0.111 million adults 25-54
298. Shark Tank “Shark Tank 1307” (CNBC, Wed. 10/12/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.094 million adults 25-54
474. America’s Morning Headquarters (TWC, Mon. 10/10/2022 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.061 million adults 25-54
583. Cuomo (NWSN, Wed. 10/12/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.046 million adults 25-54
635. Kudlow (FBN, Thu. 10/13/2022 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.040 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
