The city of Memphis was in full focus by our nation throughout the month of January, and several of the nation’s top broadcast networks, like ABC News and Fox News, watched the city closely.
On the celebrity front, Lisa Marie Presley — the lone child of Elvis Presley — passed away at the age of 54 from cardiac arrest on Jan. 12, just four days after attending the Golden Globe Awards where the film “Elvis” was honored. She was laid to rest at the Presley estate of Graceland on Jan. 22. Memphis was also where another incident of police brutality took place.
On Jan. 7, 29-year old Tyre Nichols was pulled over by police for alleged reckless driving. After Nichols exited his vehicle, he was pepper-sprayed and tasered by those officers. He attempted to escape the area to run towards his mother’s house nearby, but was caught and restrained by those same officers. Nichols was then the recipient of multiple punches, kicks and baton hits. Three days later. Nichols passed away. The five officers involved were dismissed from their jobs on Jan. 20 and on Jan. 26, all of them arrested on multiple charges including murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and misconduct.
On the following night (Friday Jan. 27), the incident’s bodycam footage was released to the public. Upon release, the three major cable news outlets as well as ABC and NBC (which broke into local programming: CBS was instead airing golf) aired it uncensored.
ABC, the usual network leader in the early evening with World News Tonight and most of its affiliates carrying Wheel of Fortune and/or Jeopardy!, led in coverage. Its 7-minute breaking news report, from 7:30-7:37 p.m. ET, drew 6.43 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Fox News Channel, the regular weeknight cable news leader within the 7-8 p.m. hour with Jesse Watters Primetime, was again on top of cable with 3.35 million. NBC’s 9-minute special report (7:51-8:00 p.m. ET) posted 3.195 million. From 7-8 p.m. ET, CNN delivered 2.165 million while MSNBC had 1.32 million; as for CNN, the hour also drew 546,000 within the key 25-54 demographic, which was tops on all of cable news for the entire week ending Jan. 29.
Friday is normally the least-watched weeknight of television viewing overall, but on this specialized evening, the cable news networks were the exceptions as most of its regular slates received boosts upon their analyses of the Memphis police footage. The following are those prime time programs’ figures and their percentage changes from the prior Friday:
Fox News Channel
- Jesse Watters Primetime (7 p.m.): 3.354 million viewers (+39%); 451,000 adults 25-54 (+113%)
- Tucker Carlson Tonight (8 p.m.): 3.117 million viewers (+13%); 503,000 adults 25-54 (+33%)
- Hannity (9 p.m.): 2.381 million viewers (+9%); 352,000 adults 25-54 (+38%)
- The Ingraham Angle (10 p.m.): 1.570 million viewers (-9%); 263,000 adults 25-54 (+33%)
CNN
- Erin Burnett Outfront (7 p.m.): 2.165 million viewers (+287%); 546,000 adults 25-54 (+323%)
- Anderson Cooper 360 (8 p.m.): 1.801 million viewers (+254%); 416,000 adults 25-54 (+304%)
- Anderson Cooper 360 (9 p.m.): 1.182 million viewers (+168%); 291,000 adults 25-54 (+206%)
- CNN Tonight (10 p.m.): 0.945 million viewers (+160%); 248,000 adults 25-54 (+235%)
MSNBC
- The Reidout (7 p.m.): 1.319 million viewers (+30%); 198,000 adults 25-54 (+92%)
- All In with Chris Hayes (8 p.m.): 1.376 million viewers (no change); 196,000 adults 25-54 (+20%)
- Alex Wagner Tonight (9 p.m.): 1.037 million viewers (-22%); 160,000 adults 25-54 (+15%)
- Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (10 p.m.): 0.982 million viewers (-5%); 117,000 adults 25-54 (+14%)
NewsNation
- On Balance with Leland Vittert (7 p.m.): 0.091 million viewers (+94%); 21,000 adults 25-54 (+62%)
- Cuomo (8-10 p.m.): 0.112 million viewers (+22%); 16,000 adults 25-54 (+45%)
- Banfield (10 p.m.): 0.101 million viewers (+94%); 13,000 adults 25-54 (+18%)
Cable news averages for January 23-29, 2023:
Total Day (Jan. 23-29 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.413 million viewers; 192,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.681 million viewers; 73,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.481 million viewers; 94,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.161 million viewers; 41,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.134 million viewers; 31,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.119 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.104 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.096 million viewers; 7,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (Jan. 23-28 @ 8-11 p.m.; Jan. 29 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.121 million viewers; 282,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.079 million viewers; 109,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.581 million viewers; 126,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.211 million viewers; 58,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.197 million viewers; 47,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.118 million viewers; 23,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.112 million viewers; 9,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.101 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.067 million viewers; 8,000 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. 1/25/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.598 million viewers
2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 1/25/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.508 million viewers
3. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 1/23/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.474 million viewers
4. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Fri. 1/27/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.354 million viewers
5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 1/23/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.332 million viewers
6. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 1/24/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.323 million viewers
7. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 1/27/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.241 million viewers
8. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 1/26/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.175 million viewers
9. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 1/24/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.138 million viewers
10. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Fri. 1/27/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.117 million viewers
26. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 1/23/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.247 million viewers
27. Erin Burnett Outfront (CNN, Fri. 1/27/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.165 million viewers
158. Real Time With Bill Maher “Episode 622” (HBO, Fri. 1/27/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.901 million viewers
369. The Daily Show “Jan 23, 23 – Wanda Sykes” (CMDY, Mon. 1/23/2023 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.367 million viewers
373. Kudlow (FBN, Wed. 1/25/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.365 million viewers
387. Forensic Files (HLN, Fri. 1/27/2023 11:30 PM, 30 min.) 0.332 million viewers
408. Shark Tank “Shark Tank 1203” (CNBC, Mon. 1/23/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.301 million viewers
517. Highway Thru Hell “(1104) Recover Stronger” (TWC, Sun. 1/29/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.233 million viewers
613. Newsnation Prime (NWSN, Sat. 1/28/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.203 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:
1. Erin Burnett Outfront (CNN, Fri. 1/27/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.546 million adults 25-54
2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Fri. 1/27/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.503 million adults 25-54
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 1/25/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.489 million adults 25-54
4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 1/23/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.477 million adults 25-54
5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 1/24/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.459 million adults 25-54
6. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Fri. 1/27/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.451 million adults 25-54
7. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 1/26/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.436 million adults 25-54
8. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Fri. 1/27/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.416 million adults 25-54
9. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 1/27/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.411 million adults 25-54
10. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 1/23/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.397 million adults 25-54
62. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 1/23/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.229 million adults 25-54
108. Real Time With Bill Maher “Episode 622” (HBO, Fri. 1/27/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.167 million adults 25-54
163. The Daily Show “Jan 26, 23 – Wanda Sykes” (CMDY, Thu. 1/26/2023 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.125 million adults 25-54
184. Forensic Files (HLN, Fri. 1/27/2023 11:30 PM, 30 min.) 0.118 million adults 25-54
230. Shark Tank “Shark Tank 1310” (CNBC, Wed. 1/25/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.102 million adults 25-54
458. Weather Channel Live “Live Storm Coverage” (TWC, Tue. 1/24/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.055 million adults 25-54
642. Varney & Company (FBN, Fri. 1/27/2023 11:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.039 million adults 25-54
780. Newsnation: Rush Hour (NWSN, Fri. 1/27/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.028 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
