Fourth of July celebrations of America’s independence were on full display on the cable news channels during the week of July 3.
For the third consecutive year, CNN presented its The Fourth in America concert and fireworks special in prime time. This year, it was hosted by Dana Bash, Boris Sanchez, Victor Blackwell, and Cari Champion and featured performances from Alanis Morissette, Darius Rucker, Demi Lovato, Post Malone, Shania Twain, Brad Paisley, Ludacris, and The United States Air Force Band. The viewer track of the all-night, coast-to-coast celebration was, as follows, according to Nielsen Media Research:
- 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET: 0.674 million viewers; 139,000 adults 25-54
- 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET: 0.714 million viewers; 183,000 adults 25-54
- 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET: 1.112 million viewers; 265,000 adults 25-54
- 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET: 0.767 million viewers; 199,000 adults 25-54
- 11:00 p.m.-midnight ET: 0.601 million viewers; 168,000 adults 25-54
- midnight-1:00 a.m. ET: 0.510 million viewers; 149,000 adults 25-54
The six hours averaged 730,000 viewers including 184,000 within the key 25-54 demographic.
On the downside, this marked declines of 12 percent (in total viewers) and 9 percent (in adults 25-54) from last year; it was down even steeper from just two years ago: -44 percent (in total viewers) and -38 percent (in adults 25-54).
But one significant positive — perhaps as a reflection of today’s linear viewing patterns trending downward, despite the potency of news programming on TV — the 9 p.m. hour of CNN’s “The Fourth in America” was the week’s top cable news telecast among adults 25-54 (the first time ever the special has done so in its respective holiday week for the past three years); the 10 p.m. hour ranked ninth for the week.
In addition, the holiday helped lift CNN to the week’s No. 1 cable news outlet spot in prime time based on the key 25-54 demo.
Fox News Channel managed to outdraw CNN in total viewers in prime time (FNC’s 1.08 million from 8-11 p.m. vs. CNN’s 864,000) to be the most-watched in cable news on July 4th.
FNC’s A Big Independence Day Celebration from 8-10 p.m. drew 1.216 million viewers which included 96,000 adults 25-54. Its total audience was nearly on-par with its 2021 edition (1.241 million) but shed nearly half of its key demo from two years ago (167,000). Their 10 p.m. special was entitled Home of the Brave (806,000 viewers; 59,000 adults 25-54).
MSNBC reaired its news special Love and the Constitution (274,000 viewers) from 8-10 p.m.
But as the country hosts many celebrations, it’s also a somber holiday as gun violence has become more prevalent within the past decade. CNN’s website published a report that July 4 is the deadliest day of the calendar year for mass shootings.
It was just one year ago that seven were gunned down at a parade in Highland Park near Chicago. This year around the holiday, there were mass shootings in Fort Worth, Shreveport, and Philadelphia.
In southwest Philly, on the evening of July 3, a disguised shooter used a rifle to fire randomly at vehicles and pedestrians, killing five people and wounding two others. In the afternoon of July 4, the Philadelphia Police Department held a press conference (from 3:08-3:25 p.m. ET) detailing the incident and that the suspect had been detained. Fox News Channel led cable news in televising the press conference with 914,000 viewers.
It was not noted as a special report by Nielsen on CNN nor MSNBC, but for the 3-4.p.m. hour, CNN delivered 592,000 viewers and 125,000 adults 25-54 (which bested the 94,000 drawn by FNC in the aforementioned 17-minute period); MSNBC, from 2-4 p.m., posted 459,000 viewers and 48,000 adults 25-54.
Cable news averages for July 3-9, 2023:
Total Day (July 3-9 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 0.975 million viewers; 109,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.599 million viewers; 62,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.424 million viewers; 82,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.155 million viewers; 41,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.148 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.109 million viewers; 26,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.098 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.085 million viewers; 16,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.050 million viewers; 9,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (July 3-8 @ 8-11 p.m.; July 9 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.215 million viewers; 103,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.856 million viewers; 82,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.543 million viewers; 110,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.230 million viewers; 25,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.076 million viewers; 13,000 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. 7/5/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.563 million viewers
2. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 7/6/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.398 million viewers
3. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 7/7/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.364 million viewers
4. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 7/3/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.120 million viewers
5. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 7/6/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.892 million viewers
6. Special Report with Bret Baier (FOXNC, Wed. 7/5/2023 6:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.701 million viewers
7. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 7/5/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.692 million viewers
8. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 7/6/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.677 million viewers
9. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 7/5/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.676 million viewers
10. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Wed. 7/5/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.637 million viewers
13. Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (MSNBC, Thu. 7/6/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.592 million viewers
80. CNN’s 4th In America “2023” (CNN, Tue. 7/4/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.112 million viewers
365. Forensic Files (HLN, late Sun. 7/9/2023 1:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.325 million viewers
428. Varney & Company (FBN, Mon. 7/3/2023 10:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.260 million viewers
498. Fast Money Halftime Report (CNBC, Thu. 7/6/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.218 million viewers
558. Mayday: Air Disaster “(202) Miracle Escape” (TWC, Sun. 7/9/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.188 million viewers
625. Cuomo (NWSN, Wed. 7/5/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.153 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’s 4th In America “2023” (CNN, Tue. 7/4/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.265 million adults 25-54
2. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Wed. 7/5/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.263 million adults 25-54
3. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 7/6/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.257 million adults 25-54
4. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 7/5/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.257 million adults 25-54
5. The Ingraham Angle (FOXNC, Wed. 7/5/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.219 million adults 25-54
6. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 7/7/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.218 million adults 25-54
7. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Fri. 7/7/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.209 million adults 25-54
8. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Thu. 7/6/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.205 million adults 25-54
9. CNN’s 4th In America “2023” (CNN, Tue. 7/4/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.199 million adults 25-54
10. Fox & Friends Saturday (FOXNC, Sat. 7/8/2023 8:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.198 million adults 25-54
21. All In with Chris Hayes (MSNBC, Wed. 7/5/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.162 million adults 25-54
129. Forensic Files (HLN, late Thu. 7/6/2023 12:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.107 million adults 25-54
403. Closing Bell (CNBC, Thu. 7/6/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.059 million adults 25-54
473. Weekend Recharge (TWC, Sun. 7/9/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.048 million adults 25-54
494. Legends & Lies (FBN, Tue. 7/4/2023 1:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.047 million adults 25-54
627. Dan Abrams Live (NWSN, Wed. 7/5/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.030 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
