The 34-count conviction of former President Donald Trump on May 30 provided significant ratings increases for the national networks, especially on cable news. That boosted effect also occurred on the local channels for where the hush money trial took place: New York City.
ABC’s New York affiliate WABC was tops in the market. According to Nielsen, during the breaking news of the Trump verdict, (from 4:45 PM-6:30 PM), WABC achieved an average audience of 435,400 total viewers, 28 percent higher than its closest competitor Fox News (~340,000) in solely the New York area.
In the key 25-54 demographic, WABC posted 93,000 viewers, a 48 percent advantage over #2 Fox News (~63,000).
WABC’s Eyewitness News at 11 PM on May 30 was #1 with 338,000 total viewers, 75 percent higher than #2 WCBS (~193,000), In adults 25-54, WABC delivered 82,400 viewers, #1 over runner-up WCBS (~33,400) by a margin of 147 percent.
NBC’s New York affiliate WNBC saw its 5 PM News deliver a 1.27 household rating (which equates to 96,520 households within the New York market) and a 5 share (meaning 5% of all New York, households with televisions in use had WNBC on) representing an increase of 67 percent compared to the same 5 PM hour on the prior six Thursdays (Apr. 18-May 23).
Demo-wise, the increases were even larger. among adults 25-54, a 0.52 rating/5 share (42,764 viewers aged 25 through 54; +136 percent) and among adults 18-49, a 0.35 rating/4 share (30,257 viewers aged 18 through 49; +94 percent).
WNBC’s other early evening newscasts also benefited:
6 PM to 6:30 PM
- Households: 96.857 (1.28 rating/4 share; +2%)
- Adults 25-54: 51,163 (0.63 rating/6 share; +80%)
- Adults 18-49: 37,277 (0.43 rating/5 share; +54%)
7 PM to 7:30 PM
- Households: 85,434 (1.12 rating/4 share; +15%)
- Adults 25-54: 41,872 (0.51 rating/4 share; +70%)
- Adults 18-49: 33,396 (0.38 rating/4 share; +58%)
Between 4:45-7 p.m., New York City’s 24/7 local news station Spectrum News NY1 experienced a +167 percent increase in ratings vs. the previous month’s average during this period — the largest increase of any broadcast or cable news network based on Nielsen Live+same day household ratings
NY1 continued with extensive coverage until midnight, leading to NY1 experiencing a +100 percent increase in household ratings between the longer period of 4:45 p.m. – 12 a.m.
Updating from Friday’s preliminary numbers, Nielsen’s final data released on June 3 indicated more than 20 million tuned in to the Trump guilty verdict across seven nationally-televised networks.
Fox News was tops with 4.38 million viewers in the 4:45-6 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 30. MSNBC was runner-up with 3.54 million, followed by ABC (3.47 million), NBC (2.53 million), CBS (2.5 million), CNN (2.4 million) and Univision (1.066 million from 7-8 PM).
