The rapper Ye, previously known as Kanye West, had made the media rounds throughout the month of October, commenting on everything from his ex-wife Kim Kardashian to his views on politics and abortion to his clothing line at the recent Paris Fashion Week where he had his models wear “White Lives Matter” T-shirts.
It was his antisemitic comments that have drawn the most attention, causing Ye to lose his lucrative deals with several big companies that, in total, cost him at least a billion dollars.
Ye’s first major TV interview in this media run was back on Oct. 6 on Fox News Channel’s Tucker Carlson Tonight. As BNM had previously reported, that edition drew 3.587 million total viewers — it was that week’s most-watched cable news telecast in prime time; its 496,000 in the key 25-54 demographic was that week’s runner-up cable news figure in prime time.
The second part of Carlson’s interview aired on Friday, Oct. 7, which drew 2.831 million total viewers including 325,000 adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research. Of all the cable news programs for the week ending Oct. 9, it ranked 16th (in viewers) and 21st (in demo).
On Monday, Oct. 17, NewsNation’s Cuomo also featured Ye, where he doubled down on his controversial comments. Oddly, the rapper conducted his discussion remotely from inside his car, which even had its host Chris Cuomo and other NewsNation staffers allegedly disappointed with the spot. Cuomo drew 129,000 viewers including 22,000 adults 25-54 — the program’s top figures for the week (Oct. 17-21).
As an aside, Dan Abrams Live actually topped Cuomo as NewsNation’s top program of the week among adults 25-54; Abrams averaged 16,000 for Oct. 17-21, to Cuomo’s 15,000.
In financial news, by the closing bell on Friday, Oct. 21, it marked the third consecutive week the Dow Jones experienced growth. It’s Wall Street’s longest winning streak in 2022. Many blue chip stocks gained within that time, including Exxon Mobil, health insurer Cigna, and Big Pharma stock Eli Lilly; these specific stocks all reached new record highs.
Seeing an even longer streak is Fox Business Network, which topped CNBC for the 23rd consecutive week in viewers for the weekday period of 9am-5pm. For Oct. 17-21, FBN averaged 248,000 business day viewers; CNBC drew 198,000. FBN’s Kudlow led business news with 335,000 viewers — the No. 1 business program with viewers for 34 of the past 35 weeks. The network’s morning show Varney & Co. was runner-up with 302,000 viewers. FBN also nabbed six of the top ten shows in business news with total viewers.
In addition, as noted in the weekly averages below, FBN also bested CNBC in total day viewers for the week, which also accounts for evening and weekend programming — where CNBC was also home to reruns of Shark Tank and some sporting events like Premier League soccer and MotoGP motorcycle racing.
Cable news averages for October 17-23, 2022:
Total Day (Oct. 17-23 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.481 million viewers; 203,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.719 million viewers; 81,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.458 million viewers; 92,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.161 million viewers; 45,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.126 million viewers; 12,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.121 million viewers; 26,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.117 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.087 million viewers; 16,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (Oct. 17-22 @ 8-11 p.m.; Oct. 23 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.301 million viewers; 293,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.126 million viewers; 111,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.512 million viewers; 109,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.199 million viewers; 18,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.175 million viewers; 52,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.170 million viewers; 49,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.095 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.074 million viewers; 12,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.056 million viewers; 7,000 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, Mon. 10/17/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.642 million viewers
2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 10/20/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.519 million viewers
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 10/17/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.511 million viewers
4. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 10/18/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.481 million viewers
5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 10/18/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.426 million viewers
6. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 10/20/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.390 million viewers
7. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 10/19/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.334 million viewers
8. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 10/19/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.258 million viewers
9. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 10/21/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.161 million viewers
10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 10/17/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.150 million viewers
31. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 10/17/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.221 million viewers
168. The Lead With Jake Tapper (CNN, Mon. 10/17/2022 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.800 million viewers
336. The Daily Show (CMDY, Mon. 10/17/2022 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.453 million viewers
359. Varney & Company (FBN, Thu. 10/20/2022 10:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.392 million viewers
420. Forensic Files “Soft Touch” (HLN, late Tue. 10/18/2022 12:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.303 million viewers
439. The News with Shepard Smith (CNBC, Thu. 10/20/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.287 million viewers
580. America’s Morning Headquarters (TWC, Thu. 10/20/2022 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.204 million viewers
781. Cuomo (NWSN, Mon. 10/17/2022 8:00 PM, 67 min.) 0.129 million 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. 10/19/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.544 million adults 25-54
2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 10/20/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.493 million adults 25-54
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 10/18/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.485 million adults 25-54
4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 10/17/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.476 million adults 25-54
5. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 10/17/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.448 million adults 25-54
6. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 10/19/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.422 million adults 25-54
7. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 10/20/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.410 million adults 25-54
8. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 10/19/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.410 million adults 25-54
9. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 10/20/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.405 million adults 25-54
10. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 10/19/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.398 million adults 25-54
81. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 10/17/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.201 million adults 25-54
91. Erin Burnett Outfront (CNN, Tue. 10/18/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.190 million adults 25-54
106. The Daily Show (CMDY, Mon. 10/17/2022 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.171 million adults 25-54
198. Forensic Files “Reel Danger” (HLN, late Wed. 10/19/2022 1:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.118 million adults 25-54
253. Shark Tank “Shark Tank 1202” (CNBC, Tue. 10/18/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.101 million adults 25-54
426. Mud Mountain Haulers “(108) Break Up” (TWC, Sat. 10/22/2022 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.065 million adults 25-54
593. Kudlow (FBN, Thu. 10/20/2022 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.042 million adults 25-54
691. Dan Abrams Live (NWSN, late Thu. 10/20/2022 12:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.033 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
