Two major news stories broke on Wednesday, October 25. After a few weeks of offering (and rejecting) potential candidates, Congress finally elected its Speaker of the House: Mike Johnson (R-LA). As the news was made official just prior to the 2 PM ET hour, Fox News Channel led all outlets in overall viewership.
Their 1-3 PM slot averaged 1.942 million total viewers including 247,000 within the key 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. Not far behind was ABC which interrupted regular programming from 1:49-2:03 PM and drew 1.715 million in total (but also managed to top FNC in adults 25-54 with 321,000).
MSNBC (1.248 million from 1-3 p.m.) outdrew its parent NBC (0,996 million from 1:47 p.m.-2:12 p.m.) in total viewers, but NBC clearly bested its cable news partner in 25-54 (249,000 vs. 148,000). CNN averaged 1.062 million total viewers and 226,000 adults 25-54 from 1-3 p.m.
News outlets Newsmax (288,000 viewers) and NewsNation (88,000 viewers) also offered coverage from 1-3 p.m.
Later that evening, another mass shooting occurred in the United States: 40-year-old Army reservist Robert Card opened fire inside a bowling alley and a bar in the town of Lewiston in the state of Maine, killing 18 and wounding 13 more.
The Big-3 broke into prime time within the 9:30 p.m. Eastern half hour for the report with ABC (3.742 million total viewers / 697,000 adults 25-54 from 9:30-9:38 p.m.) leading in total viewers and CBS (3.032 million / ~750,000 A25-54) earning the demo edge. NBC’s brief one-minute announcement at 9:39 p.m. posted 2.534 million viewers including 399,000 adults 25-54.
Cable news offered extensive coverage of the Maine shooting that ran into the overnight as the manhunt for Card had begun. Fox News’ already-potent prime time put the network on top of cable for this story, peaking to 2.968 million viewers and 461,000 adults 25-54 in its 10-11 p.m. hour. Coverage had also peaked in total viewers within the same hour for MSNBC (1.878 million / 210,000 A25-54) and CNN (1.371 million / 390,000 A25-54).
Newsmax’s 9-10 p.m. hour drew 404,000 viewers; NewsNation, from 9:30 p.m. to midnight, delivered an audience of 131,000 viewers.
The manhunt concluded on Friday, Oct. 27 when authorities discovered the shooter dead due to suicide. NBC, at 10:20-10:29 p.m., drew 1.916 million viewers including 391,000 in the key 25-54 demo. Although no specific time was indicated for ABC’s report, its regular Friday night edition of “20/20” (2.953 million / 614,000 A25-54) had aired during that time. (No CBS data was made available.)
At the 10 p.m. hour over on cable news:
- Fox News Channel: 2.107 million viewers; 264,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.358 million viewers; 157,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 1.193 million viewers; 249,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.155 million viewers; 33,000 adults 25-54
(from 9-11 p.m. that night, Newsmax instead televised a two-hour special on the Israel-Hamas war which delivered 258,000 viewers and 34,000 adults 25-54.)
Cable news averages for October 23-29, 2023:
Total Day (Oct. 23-29 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.409 million viewers; 175,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.907 million viewers; 101,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.617 million viewers; 132,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.194 million viewers; 19,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.142 million viewers; 35,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.117 million viewers; 28,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.115 million viewers; 16,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.071 million viewers; 16,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.084 million viewers; 15,000 adults 25-54
- Court TV: 0.036 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (Oct. 23-28 @ 8-11 p.m.; Oct. 29 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.063 million viewers; 239,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.252 million viewers; 123,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.762 million viewers; 189,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.260 million viewers; 25,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.115 million viewers; 21,000 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. 10/25/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.306 million viewers
2. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 10/26/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.083 million viewers
3. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 10/27/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.983 million viewers
4. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 10/24/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.982 million viewers
5. Fox News At Night (FOXNC, Wed. 10/25/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.968 million viewers
6. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 10/23/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.958 million viewers
7. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 10/25/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.940 million viewers
8. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 10/25/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.935 million viewers
9. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 10/26/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.805 million viewers
10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 10/26/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.637 million viewers
18. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 10/23/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.348 million viewers
112. Newsnight (CNN, Wed. 10/25/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.371 million viewers
313. Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO, Fri. 10/27/2023 10:01 PM, 58 min.) 0.607 million viewers
332. Rob Schmitt Tonight (NMX, Tue. 10/24/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.561 million viewers
398. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 10/29/2023 11:10 PM, 36 min.) 0.418 million viewers
453. Kudlow (FBN, Wed. 10/25/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.338 million viewers
457. The Daily Show “Oct 25, 23 – Desus Nice” (CMDY, Wed. 10/25/2023 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.333 million viewers
507. Forensic Files (HLN, late Sat. 10/28/2023 4:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.266 million viewers
515. Fast Money Halftime Report (CNBC, Fri. 10/27/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.261 million viewers
649. Weekend Recharge (TWC, Sat. 10/28/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.193 million viewers
706. Cuomo (NWSN, Thu. 10/26/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.170 million viewers
957. I Survived (COURT TV, late Sat. 10/28/2023 2:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.088 million viewers
1199. Real Sports (HBO, Tue. 10/24/2023 10:01 PM, 59 min.) 0.054 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:
1. Fox News At Night (FOXNC, Wed. 10/25/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.461 million adults 25-54
2. Fox News At Night (FOXNC, Wed. 10/25/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.405 million adults 25-54
3. Newsnight (CNN, Wed. 10/25/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.390 million adults 25-54
4. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 10/25/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.389 million adults 25-54
5. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 10/25/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.379 million adults 25-54
6. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 10/26/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.360 million adults 25-54
7. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 10/23/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.339 million adults 25-54
8. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 10/26/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.337 million adults 25-54
9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 10/25/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.329 million adults 25-54
10. Fox News At Night (FOXNC, Thu. 10/26/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.328 million adults 25-54
43. 11th Hour With Stephanie Ruhle “Maine Mass Shooting” (MSNBC, Wed. 10/25/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.239 million adults 25-54
174. The Daily Show “Oct 25, 23 – Desus Nice” (CMDY, Wed. 10/25/2023 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.150 million adults 25-54
261. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 10/29/2023 11:10 PM, 36 min.) 0.116 million adults 25-54
278. Forensic Files (HLN, late Sun. 10/29/2023 1:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.112 million adults 25-54
430. Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO, Fri. 10/27/2023 10:01 PM, 58 min.) 0.066 million adults 25-54
512. America’s Weekend Headquarters (TWC, Sun. 10/29/2023 7:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.051 million adults 25-54
513. Power Lunch (CNBC, Wed. 10/25/2023 2:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.051 million adults 25-54
544. Greg Kelly Reports (NMX, Wed. 10/25/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.046 million adults 25-54
586. Cuomo (NWSN, Thu. 10/26/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.040 million adults 25-54
613. I Survived (COURT TV, late Sat. 10/28/2023 2:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.037 million adults 25-54
667. Varney & Company (FBN, Fri. 10/27/2023 10:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.033 million adults 25-54
853. Real Sports (HBO, Tue. 10/24/2023 10:01 PM, 59 min.) 0.021 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
