Donald Trump, the current frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in the upcoming 2024 election, appeared in a one-on-one interview with Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier on Baier’s 6 p.m. nightly news program Special Report on Monday, June 19.
Baier pressed Trump on his repeated and continued claims the 2020 election was “stolen”; Fox News is the same outlet that shelled out a massive $787.5 million settlement to Dominion Voting Systems earlier this year due to reiterating the unverified instances of “rigged” machines.
The June 19th edition of FNC’s Special Report with Bret Baier drew 2.6 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. This was +44 percent above its weeknight average for its previous week (June 12-16, 2023; 1.8 million). It was the most-watched edition of Special Report in total viewers since April 4 (2.983 million); unsurprisingly, a date that also involved Trump in the news: his first arraignment, from New York City.
Due to up-to-date developments in two of the world’s biggest stories, five of the week’s top ten hours in cable news in the key 25-54 demographic belonged to CNN. The network covered the short-lived Wagner rebellion that attempted to destabilize Russia and topple its president Vladimir Putin with extensive reporting for all of Saturday, June 24.
Its peak viewership occurred in the noon-1 p.m. ET hour (7-8 p.m. in Moscow, Russia) with 1.181 million viewers including 293,332 adults 25-54. It was the top demo performance for a cable news hour since its own outlet’s coverage of the Titanic submersible implosion from two days prior (June 22).
The U.S. Coast Guard held a press conference on Thursday, June 22 at 3 p.m. Eastern noting that the five men who were on board the vessel destined for the sunken wreck of the famed 1912 Titanic ship at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean had all perished.
The 3-4 p.m. Eastern hour on the three main cable news channels as well as the two news netlets all drew well above their normal averages:
The Story (FOXNC, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.986 million total viewers; 313,549 adults 25-54
- Average for June 19-23, 2023: 1.383 million total viewers; 169,000 adults 25-54
- Comparison: +603,000 total viewers (+44 percent); +145,000 adults 25-54 (+86 percent)
CNN News Central “Titanic Submersible Debris Discovered” (CNN, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.526 million total viewers 452,858 adults 25-54
- Average for June 19-23, 2023 (1-4 p.m. ET): 0.693 million total viewers; 147,000 adults 25-54
- Comparison: +833,000 total viewers (+120 percent); +306,000 adults 25-54 (+208 percent)
Katy Tur Reports “Coast Guard on Missing Sub 3:00-3:17” (MSNBC, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.157 million total viewers 152,962 adults 25-54
- Average for June 19-23, 2023: 0.982 million total viewers; 114,000 adults 25-54
- Comparison: +175,000 total viewers (+18 percent); +39,000 adults 25-54 (+34 percent)
American Agenda (NMX, Thu. 6/22/2023 2:00 PM, 120 min.) 238,441 total viewers 25,315 adults 25-54
- Average for June 19-23, 2023 (2-4 p.m. ET): 196,000 total viewers; 22,000 adults 25-54
- Comparison: +42,000 total viewers (+21 percent); +3,000 adults 25-54 (+14 percent)
NewsNation Now with Nichole Berlie (NWSN, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 120 min.) 93,911 total viewers 12,485 adults 25-54
- Average for June 19-23, 2023 (3-5 p.m. ET): 63,000 total viewers; 7,000 adults 25-54
- Comparison: +31,000 total viewers (+49 percent); +5,000 adults 25-54 (+71 percent)
Cable news averages for June 19-25, 2023:
Total Day (June 19-25 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.167 million viewers; 142,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.837 million viewers; 98,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.573 million viewers; 130,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.178 million viewers; 52,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.171 million viewers; 16,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.105 million viewers; 15,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.104 million viewers; 26,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.090 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.062 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
- Court TV: 0.048 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (June 19-24 @ 8-11 p.m.; June 25 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.530 million viewers; 166,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.309 million viewers; 143,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.696 million viewers; 159,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.294 million viewers; 29,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.204 million viewers; 57,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.168 million viewers; 45,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.115 million viewers; 32,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.114 million viewers; 22,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.111 million viewers; 23,000 adults 25-54
- Court TV: 0.059 million viewers; 14,000 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. 6/19/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.786 million viewers
2. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 6/22/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.718 million viewers
3. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 6/21/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.712 million viewers
4. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 6/20/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.703 million viewers
5. Special Report with Bret Baier (FOXNC, Mon. 6/19/2023 6:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.600 million viewers
6. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 6/23/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.540 million viewers
7. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 6/19/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.411 million viewers
8. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 6/19/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.373 million viewers
9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 6/22/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.250 million viewers
10. Special Report with Bret Baier (FOXNC, Tue. 6/20/2023 6:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.166 million viewers
55. CNN News Central “Titanic Submersible Debris Discovered” (CNN, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.526 million viewers
270. Pres. Trump Live (NMX, Sat. 6/24/2023 8:00 PM, 90 min.) 0.638 million viewers
404. Forensic Files (HLN, late Sat. 6/24/2023 1:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.368 million viewers
488. Kudlow (FBN, Fri. 6/23/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.290 million viewers
642. Fast Money Halftime Report (CNBC, Thu. 6/22/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.208 million viewers
643. Cuomo (NWSN, Thu. 6/22/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.207 million viewers
683. Highway Thru Hell “(803) Chain Saw” (TWC, Mon. 6/19/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.183 million viewers
812. FBI Files (COURT TV, late Sun. 6/25/2023 12:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.139 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:
1. CNN News Central “Titanic Submersible Debris Discovered” (CNN, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.453 million adults 25-54
2. The Lead With Jake Tapper “Titanic Submersible Implosion” (CNN, Thu. 6/22/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.351 million adults 25-54
3. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 6/22/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.332 million adults 25-54
4. The Story (FOXNC, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.314 million adults 25-54
5. The Lead With Jake Tapper (CNN, Thu. 6/22/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.313 million adults 25-54
6. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Tue. 6/20/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.309 million adults 25-54
7. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 6/21/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.297 million adults 25-54
8. CNN Newsroom “Russian Rebellion” (CNN, Sat. 6/24/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.293 million adults 25-54
9. Special Report with Bret Baier (FOXNC, Mon. 6/19/2023 6:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.289 million adults 25-54
10. CNN Newsroom “Russian Rebellion” (CNN, Sat. 6/24/2023 1:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.285 million adults 25-54
21. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 6/19/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.259 million adults 25-54
194. Forensic Files II (HLN, Wed. 6/21/2023 11:30 PM, 30 min.) 0.129 million adults 25-54
481. Eric Bolling The Balance (NMX, Wed. 6/21/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.067 million adults 25-54
520. Fast Money (CNBC, Fri. 6/23/2023 5:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.061 million adults 25-54
552. Weekend Recharge (TWC, Sun. 6/25/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.057 million adults 25-54
657. Varney & Company (FBN, Wed. 6/21/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.041 million adults 25-54
658. Escaping Polygamy (COURT TV, late Sun. 6/25/2023 1:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.041 million adults 25-54
671. Banfield (NWSN, Wed. 6/21/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.040 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
