There was one political race left unresolved from the Nov. 8 midterm elections: the contest for U.S. Senate from Georgia between Democrat incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger and former pro football running back Herschel Walker. That race also led to a chase for cable news ratings with MSNBC slightly topping Fox News
Because neither Warnock nor Walker initially achieved at least 50 percent of the electorate vote, a runoff election was then held on Dec. 6 — the third runoff in Georgia for senate within two years.
The three major cable news outlets each had something to tout about ratings-wise on the evening. Fox News, the usual leader in prime time, was once again potent: from 7 p.m. to midnight Eastern, the network averaged 2.59 million total viewers including 430,000 within the key 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. The network dominated the coverage of the regularly scheduled mid-term election in November.
MSNBC, however, was the total viewer leader in election coverage within the same five-hour period. They averaged 2.7 million viewers along with 420,000 adults 25-54. The 10 p.m. to midnight portion of the night boosted MSNBC to that lead as the results officially indicated Warnock’s victory; from 10-11 p.m. 3.2 million viewers, and from 11 p.m. to midnight, 2.36 million — tops in all of cable news for those two hours, with FNC (2.88 million and 2.09 million, in each respective hour).
Although CNN trailed well behind in total audience from 7 p.m.-midnight (1.61 million viewers), it ranked No. 1 among adults 25-54 (436,000).
Newsmax’s election coverage from 7-10 p.m. averaged 166,000 viewers while NewsNation’s one-hour election wrap-up at 11 p.m. drew 62,000 viewers.
Going to Sunday, Dec. 11, Fox News Channel presented the linear debut of their Fox Nation streaming platform’s “Yellowstone: One-Fifty”. In this Kevin Costner series (not to be confused with his hit Sunday scripted series “Yellowstone” from Paramount Network), he explores the history and wildlife of Yellowstone National Park, which recently marked its 150th anniversary. It garnered 1.12 million viewers and 114,000 in the 25-54 demo from 10-11 p.m.
FNC beat CNN and MSNBC combined in the time slot with total viewers and the 25-54 demo; CNN aired an episode of “This Is Life” (335,000 viewers; 58,000 adults 25-54) while MSNBC televised “Loan Wolves” (393,000 viewers; 41,000 adults 25-54).
Cable news averages for December 5-11, 2022:
Total Day (Dec. 5-11 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.419 million viewers; 188,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.842 million viewers; 98,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.551 million viewers; 111,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.132 million viewers; 39,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.118 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.111 million viewers; 27,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.104 million viewers; 10,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.092 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (Dec. 5-10 @ 8-11 p.m.; Dec. 11 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.176 million viewers; 284,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.456 million viewers; 176,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.701 million viewers; 168,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.160 million viewers; 47,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.143 million viewers; 50,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.132 million viewers; 12,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.110 million viewers; 16,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.088 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.058 million viewers; 9,000 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. 12/5/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.572 million viewers
2. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 12/6/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.540 million viewers
3. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 12/8/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.337 million viewers
4. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 12/6/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.299 million viewers
5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 12/6/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.274 million viewers
6. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 12/7/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.253 million viewers
7. Decision 2022 “Georgia Senate Runoff” (MSNBC, Tue. 12/6/2022 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.195 million viewers
8. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 12/8/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.121 million viewers
9. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 12/5/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.109 million viewers
10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 12/6/2022 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.005 million viewers
40. Election Night in America “Ga Senate Runoff – Midterm 2022” (CNN, Tue. 12/6/2022 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.940 million viewers
353. The Daily Show (CMDY, Mon. 12/5/2022 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.450 million viewers
376. Varney & Company (FBN, Tue. 12/6/2022 10:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.400 million viewers
456. Very Scary People “Coed Killer:Thinking Murder Pt2” (HLN, late Tue. 12/6/2022 12:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.252 million viewers
458. Shark Tank “Shark Tank 1308” (CNBC, Wed. 12/7/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.249 million viewers
498. Weekend Recharge (TWC, Sun. 12/11/2022 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.205 million viewers
592. Cuomo (NWSN, Wed. 12/7/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.173 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, Tue. 12/6/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.570 million adults 25-54
2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 12/6/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.555 million adults 25-54
3. Election Night in America “Ga Senate Runoff – Midterm 2022” (CNN, Tue. 12/6/2022 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.550 million adults 25-54
4. Decision 2022 “Georgia Senate Runoff” (MSNBC, Tue. 12/6/2022 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.512 million adults 25-54
5. Decision 2022 “Georgia Senate Runoff” (MSNBC, Tue. 12/6/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.489 million adults 25-54
6. The Ingraham Angle (FOXNC, Tue. 12/6/2022 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.480 million adults 25-54
7. Election Night Amer Cont “Ga Senate Runoff – Midterm 2022” (CNN, Tue. 12/6/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.470 million adults 25-54
8. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 12/8/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.438 million adults 25-54
9. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 12/5/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.427 million adults 25-54
10. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 12/7/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.425 million adults 25-54
130. The Daily Show (CMDY, Tue. 12/6/2022 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.165 million adults 25-54
305. Shark Tank “Shark Tank 1308” (CNBC, Wed. 12/7/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.090 million adults 25-54
322. Forensic Files “Video Diary” (HLN, late Fri. 12/9/2022 5:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.085 million adults 25-54
523. Weather Gone Viral “(101) Out of This World” (TWC, Fri. 12/9/2022 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.045 million adults 25-54
597. Kudlow (FBN, Tue. 12/6/2022 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.038 million adults 25-54
725. Newsnation: Rush Hour (NWSN, Tue. 12/6/2022 6:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.028 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
