FOX News Channel (FNC) finished October 2022 in a dominant position in cable news. Fox beat its rivals for the 20th consecutive month as the top network in all of cable with total day viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Fox News beat CNN and MSNBC combined with total day and primetime viewers and the critical A25-54 Demo for the 15th consecutive month. That is what you call total dominance but it gets worse for MSNBC and CNN:
Fox News had 98 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the month of October. Fox was the only cable news network to post growth month over month across the board. In total day, Fox News delivered 1.5 million viewers, 206,000 with the 25-54 demo and 124,000 with the 18-49 demo.
In primetime, Fox News delivered 2.3 million viewers, 295,000 in the 25-54 demo and 180,000 with the 18-49 demo. October was also CNN’s worst month with primetime viewers year to date.
According to Fox News:
“According to Nielsen MRI Fusion, FNC also remained the most-watched network across the political spectrum with more Independents and Democrats choosing FNC as their preferred network than MSNBC and CNN in total day and primetime viewers in the A25-54 demo.
“FNC was also the number one cable news network among Hispanic and Asian households in total day viewers.
“Gutfeld! was once again one of the highlights of the month garnering 2,159,000 P2+ and 337,000 A25-54 and continuing to make television history with its second highest-rated month since launch in viewers. Airing at 11 PM/ET, the program also topped every show on CNN and MSNBC with both viewers and A25-54.
“Gutfeld! also bested ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1,447,000 P2+) and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1,358,000 P2+) in total viewers. FNC’s late-night show also swept Comedy Central’s The Daily Show (403,000 P2+, 145,000 A25-54) across the board in total viewers and the younger 25-54 demo.
“…At 8 PM/ET, Tucker Carlson Tonight continued as the highest-rated program in cable news in the younger 25-54 demo, averaging 3.3 million viewers and 470,000 in the 25-54 demo, as well as 295,000 in the 18-49 category throughout October.
“Hannity at 9 PM/ET scored over 2.7 million viewers, 344,000 in the 25-54 demo and 206,000 among adults 18-49, achieving the fourth most-watched program in all categories and outpacing the competition on MSNBC and CNN combined.
“MSNBC’s newly-launched 9 PM/ET program Alex Wagner Tonight delivered its worst month since launch with just 1,425,000 million viewers and 134,000 in the 25-54 demo, and CNN’s 9 PM hour helmed by Jake Tapper averaged just 691,000 viewers and 153,000 with A25-54. At 10 PM/ET, The Ingraham Angle garnered 2.2 million viewers, 292,000 in the 25-54 demo and 171,000 in 18-49 continuing her streak as the most-watched female in cable news,” Fox News said.
OCTOBER 2022 VS. OCTOBER 2021 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):
TOTAL DAY
FNC: 1,482,000 total viewers – up 5% (206,000 in 25-54 – down 10%)
CNN: 533,000 total viewers – up 9% (106,000 in 25-54 – up 3%)
MSNBC: 751,000 total viewers – up 10% (80,000 in 25-54 – up 1%)
PRIMETIME
FNC: 2,292,000 total viewers – down 1% (295,000 in 25-54- down 15%)
CNN: 624,000 total viewers – down 6% (134,000 in 25-54 – down 3%)
MSNBC: 1,177,000 total viewers – down 2% (114,000 in 25-54 – down 20%)