FOX News Channel (FNC) crushed records and delivered the largest total day and primetime audience among total viewers in cable news history with 1.9 million viewers in total day and 3.6 million viewers in primetime, according to Nielsen Media Research. In primetime, the network also averaged the most-watched year in cable news history in the 25-54 demo, notching 645,000 viewers. This is the first time in cable news history that a network has surpassed 3 million viewers in primetime for an entire year. FNC also finished the year as the most-watched network in basic cable for the fifth consecutive year in both primetime and total day among total viewers. Additionally, for the first time in history, the network also finished number one in all of cable in total day with the younger A25-54 demo. FNC remains the number one television network in weekday primetime, topping all broadcast networks in total viewers in a continuous streak beginning the second quarter of 2020 with 4.2 million viewers. For the full year, FNC ranked in the top three networks in all of television in weekday primetime behind only CBS and NBC.
Hannity was once again the number one program in cable news for the fourth consecutive year in total viewers with 4,397,000 viewers and also averaged 788,000 in the 25-54 demo, marking the highest-rated program average in cable news history. Tucker Carlson Tonight ended the year as the most-watched cable news program in the 25-54 demo and notched the second largest audience in total viewers, securing 798,000 viewers with A25-54 and 4,368,000 in total viewers. Hannity and Tucker Carlson Tonight are the first programs in cable news history to finish a full year with over 4 million viewers.
In commenting on the network’s historic ratings year, FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said, “This ratings milestone is a testament to the incredible work of the FOX News Channel team during a pivotal year. We are immensely proud and honored to once again serve as the destination for news and opinion in America.”
In 2020, two dozen FNC weekday and weekend programs delivered their highest-rated averages in network history in total viewers and/or the younger 25-54 demo, including weekday programs FOX & Friends (P2+), America’s Newsroom (P2+), Outnumbered (P2+), Outnumbered Overtime, The Daily Briefing, Your World with Neil Cavuto, The Five, Special Report with Bret Baier, The Story with Martha MacCallum, Tucker Carlson Tonight, Hannity, The Ingraham Angle and FOX News @ Night. During the weekend, FOX & Friends Weekend (P2+), Cavuto Live, Journal Editorial Report (P2+), FOX Report with Jon Scott, Watters’ World, Justice with Judge Jeanine, The Greg Gutfeld Show, Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, MediaBuzz, The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton and Life, Liberty & Levin all delivered record-breaking program averages for the year. Additionally, FNC’s Hannity, Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Five, The Ingraham Angle, Special Report with Bret Baier, The Story with Martha MacCallum, Your World with Neil Cavuto, Outnumbered and FOX News @ Night comprised nine of the top 15 programs in all of cable news in total viewers. FNC programs also made up the top four programs in total viewers, the top six programs in the 25-54 demo and the top five programs in the younger 18-49 demo. Throughout the year, FNC notched 41 of the top 100 cable telecasts in total viewers, including its coverage of the September 29th presidential debate moderated by FOX News Sunday’s Chris Wallace which was the most-watched coverage of a presidential debate in cable news history and the highest-rated non-sports cable telecast of the year.
At 5PM/ET, The Five averaged 3.7 million viewers and 600,000 in the 25-54 demo, topping all of CNN and MSNBC’s daytime and primetime programming in total viewers, ranking third in total viewers in cable news (the only non-primetime program to rank in the top five) and delivering its highest-rated year in program history. Special Report with Bret Baier at 6PM/ET averaged its largest viewership in network history with 3.2 million viewers and 559,000 in the 25-54 demo and The Story with Martha MacCallum at 7PM/ET also broke records, securing its largest delivery in both categories with 2.7 million viewers and 533,000 in the 25-54 demo. In primetime, Tucker Carlson Tonight at 8PM/ET was the highest-rated program in cable news in the younger 25-54 demo and second most-watched program for the year in total viewers with 4,368,000 viewers and 798,000 in the 25-54 demo, marking the program’s largest audience in network history in both categories. For the fourth consecutive year, Hannity (9PM/ET) topped all of cable news in total viewers with 4.4 million viewers and ranked as the second most-watched program in the A25-54 demo with 788,000, garnering its most-watched year ever in both categories. At 10PM/ET, The Ingraham Angle ranked fourth in total viewers with 3.5 million and third in the 25-54 demo with 649,000 viewers, notching the 10PM/ET hour’s highest-rated average ever and making Laura Ingraham the most-watched female cable news host in television history. FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream at 11PM/ET closed out the year with a record-breaking 2 million viewers and 432,000 in the 25-54 demo, delivering its largest audience ever.
The FOX & Friends franchise continued to dominate the competition, kicking off weekdays at 4AM/ET with FOX & Friends First averaging 663,000 viewers and 137,000 in the 25-54 demo while FOX & Friends (6-9 AM/ET) continued to outpace all cable news morning shows and delivered its highest-rated year in network history in total viewers, averaging 1.7 million viewers and 312,000 in the 25-54 demo. From 9AM-12PM/ET, America’s Newsroom secured its largest audience ever in total viewers with 1.9 million viewers and 334,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 12PM/ET, Outnumbered garnered its most-watched year in total viewers with 2 million viewers and 342,000 in the 25-54 demo. Outnumbered Overtime with Harris Faulkner delivered nearly 2 million viewers and 342,000 with the 25-54 demo, averaging its most-watched year in both categories and outperforming the broadcast competition of ABC’s GMA3 for the first year ever. At 2PM/ET, The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino secured its largest audience in history during 2020, averaging 1.9 million viewers and 342,000 in the 25-54 demo. Bill Hemmer Reports outpaced the competition in both categories at 3PM/ET during its first year in the lineup with anchor Bill Hemmer, averaging 1.9 million viewers and 349,000 with A25-54. At 4PM/ET, Your World with Neil Cavuto garnered 2.1 million viewers and 363,000 in the 25-54 demo, notching its most-watched year in network history.
FNC’s dominance continued on the weekends with the network breaking records and crushing the competition in every hour in total viewers on Saturdays and Sundays from 6AM to 11PM/ET. FOX & Friends Weekend (Saturdays and Sundays, 6-10AM/ET) topped CNN and MSNBC combined in total viewers and the 25-54 demo, averaging its most-watched year in network history in total viewers with 1.6 million viewers and 272,000 with A25-54. Cavuto Live (Saturdays at 10AM/ET) delivered its highest-rated year ever with 1.9 million viewers and 334,000 in the 25-54 demo. FOX Report with Jon Scott (Saturdays and Sundays, 6PM/ET), averaged its largest audience in history with 1.8 million viewers and 316,000 in A25-54. During primetime on Saturdays, FNC outperformed the combined viewership of CNN and MSNBC and broke ratings records with several programs, including Watters’ World at 8PM/ET (2,757,000 P2+; 359,000 A25-54), the weekend’s highest-rated program in total viewers Justice with Judge Jeanine at 9PM/ET (2,814,000 P2+; 347,000 A25-54) and the weekend’s most-watched program in the 25-54 demo The Greg Gutfeld Show at 10PM/ET (2,563,000 P2+; 403,000 25-54). The Greg Gutfeld Show also surpassed various late-night programs airing on broadcast in total viewers, including ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and NBC’s The Tonight Show. Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo (Sundays at 10AM/ET) broke ratings records with its largest audience on record for the year, averaging 2.1 million viewers and 357,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 11AM/ET, MediaBuzz with Howard Kurtz notched 1.9 million viewers and 335,000 in the 25-54 demo, delivering its highest-rated year ever in both categories and edging out CNN’s Reliable Sources across the board. Sunday’s Life, Liberty & Levin (8PM/ET) with host Mark Levin secured its highest-rated year ever with 2.2 million viewers and 302,000 in the 25-54 demo. Finally, at 9PM/ET on Sundays, The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton ended its most-watched year with 1.9 million viewers and 281,000 in the 25-54 demo.
Top Five Networks in Weekday Primetime in All of Television for 2020 (12/30/19-12/14/20)
CBS – 4,558,000 Total Viewers
NBC – 4,251,000 Total Viewers
FNC – 4,124,000 Total Viewers
ABC – 3,764,000 Total Viewers
FOX – 3,302,000 Total Viewers
FNC Weekday Prime vs. Broadcast Weekday Prime 2Q’20-To-Date (3/30/20-12/14/20)
FNC – 4,214,000 Total Viewers
CBS – 4,070,000 Total Viewers
NBC – 3,999,000 Total Viewers
ABC – 3,457,000 Total Viewers
FOX – 3,261,000 Total Viewers
Nielsen Cable News Ratings for 2020 (12/30/19-12/14/20) vs. 2019 (12/31/18-12/30/19)
Primetime:
FNC: 3,616,000 P2+ (up 45%); 645,000 25-54 (up 65%)
CNN: 1,793,000 P2+ (up 85%); 521,000 25-54 (up 104%)
MSNBC: 2,146,000 P2+ (up 24%); 360,000 25-54 (up 29%)
Total Day:
FNC: 1,893,000 P2+ (up 35%); 350,000 25-54 (up 46%)
CNN: 1,134,000 P2+ (up 75%); 312,000 25-54 (up 91%)
MSNBC: 1,242,000 P2+ (up 27%); 202,000 25-54 (up 33%)
About FOX News Channel
FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most watched television news channel for more than 18 consecutive years. According to a 2020 Brand Keys Consumer Loyalty Engagement Index report, FOX News is the top brand in the country for morning and evening news coverage. A 2019 Suffolk University poll also named FOX News as the most trusted source for television news or commentary, while a 2019 Brand Keys Emotion Engagement Analysis survey found that FOX News was the most trusted cable news brand. Owned by FOX Corp, FNC is available in nearly 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre.
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Contacts:
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