Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was the focus of a 90-minute CNN town hall on June 4. From 8-9:30 p.m. ET, it averaged 562,000 viewers including 136,000 within the key 25–54 demographic. Its 11 p.m. rebroadcast drew 293,000 viewers and 65,000 adults 25-54.
While that paled in comparison to the 3+ million of the controversial Donald Trump town hall from May 10, as well airing opposite Game 2 of the NBA Finals on ABC (which drew 11.91 million that night), Haley’s town hall actually improved upon CNN’s recent results within the Sunday 8-9 p.m. hour. For original telecasts of The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper from Apr. 30-May 21, its live plus same day data averaged 497,000 total viewers and 105,000 adults 25-54.
The town hall also dominated that night in cable news among adults 25-54, more than doubling its time slot competitor from FNC, Life, Liberty and Levin (63,000). However, that same FNC program more than doubled CNN’s event in total viewers, drawing 1.216 million. Meanwhile, The Mehdi Hasan Show at 8 p.m. was at its normal levels: 454,000 total viewers and 35,000 adults 25-54.
In other ratings news that week, President Biden made his first live TV appearance from the Oval Office post-Inauguration Night on June 2. He announced an agreement on the debt ceiling with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to avert an economic downturn.
Biden’s 17-minute spot at 7 p.m. Eastern on June 2nd was broadcast on multiple networks. ABC was, by far, the most-watched outlet for it with 4.12 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. CBS was runner-up with 2.98 million. (NBC’s telecast figures were not made available.)
Unlike the broadcast networks, Nielsen did not make Biden’s Oval Office address as a distinct telecast. But for the entire 7-8 p.m. hour, Fox News led all cable news viewers with 1.79 million (for Jesse Watters Primetime). MSNBC’s The ReidOut drew 1.43 million while CNN’s Erin Burnett Outfront posted 599,000. Newsmax’s recently-rising Rob Schmitt Tonight delivered 260,000 and NewsNation’s On Balance 44,000.
Cable news averages for May 29-June 4, 2023:
Total Day (May 29-June 4 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.007 million viewers; 117,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.665 million viewers; 76,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.409 million viewers; 76,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.152 million viewers; 41,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.139 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.114 million viewers; 26,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.101 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.081 million viewers; 12,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (May 29-June 3 @ 8-11 p.m.; June 4 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.357 million viewers; 130,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.991 million viewers; 101,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.512 million viewers; 95,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.217 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.185 million viewers; 43,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.162 million viewers; 40,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.109 million viewers; 31,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.107 million viewers; 16,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.096 million viewers; 15,000 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. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 6/1/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.780 million viewers
2. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 5/30/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.667 million viewers
3. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 5/31/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.604 million viewers
4. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 6/1/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.538 million viewers
5. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 6/2/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.288 million viewers
6. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 6/1/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.106 million viewers
7. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 5/30/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.079 million viewers
8. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 5/31/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.934 million viewers
9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 5/31/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.816 million viewers
10. The Ingraham Angle (FOXNC, Thu. 6/1/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.805 million viewers
17. Alex Wagner Tonight (MSNBC, Wed. 5/31/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.675 million viewers
156. HBO Film “Bee Gees: How Can You Mend Broken Heart” (CNN, Mon. 5/29/2023 8:00 PM, 135 min.) 0.730 million viewers
321. Eric Bolling The Balance (NMX, Wed. 5/31/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.421 million viewers
371. Forensic Files (HLN, late Fri. 6/2/2023 1:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.336 million viewers
431. Kudlow (FBN, Wed. 5/31/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.267 million viewers
459. Fast Money Halftime Report (CNBC, Thu. 6/1/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.248 million viewers
580. Newsnation Prime (NWSN, Sat. 6/3/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.194 million viewers
666. America’s Weekend Headquarters (TWC, Sat. 6/3/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.165 million viewers
877. FBI Files (COURT TV, Sun. 6/4/2023 1:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.101 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:
1. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 6/1/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.320 million adults 25-54
2. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 5/30/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.279 million adults 25-54
3. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 5/31/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.271 million adults 25-54
4. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 6/1/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.263 million adults 25-54
5. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Wed. 5/31/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.231 million adults 25-54
6. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Fri. 6/2/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.227 million adults 25-54
7. The Ingraham Angle (FOXNC, Thu. 6/1/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.226 million adults 25-54
8. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 6/2/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.224 million adults 25-54
9. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Tue. 5/30/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.216 million adults 25-54
10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 5/30/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.211 million adults 25-54
13. Alex Wagner Tonight (MSNBC, Wed. 5/31/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.189 million adults 25-54
65. CNN News Central (CNN, Mon. 5/29/2023 1:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.140 million adults 25-54
113. Forensic Files (HLN, late Fri. 6/2/2023 12:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.119 million adults 25-54
409. American Greed “207 Covid Cons” (CNBC, late Fri. 6/2/2023 1:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.059 million adults 25-54
491. Rob Schmitt Tonight (NMX, Thu. 6/1/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.047 million adults 25-54
526. Newsnation Prime (NWSN, Sat. 6/3/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.044 million adults 25-54
574. Mornings with Maria Bartiromo (FBN, Fri. 6/2/2023 8:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.038 million adults 25-54
578. I Survived (COURT TV, Sat. 6/3/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.038 million adults 25-54
690. America’s Weekend Headquarters (TWC, Sat. 6/3/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.029 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
