Fox News Channel viewership crushes MSNBC, CNN during second quarter

Americans continue to flock to Fox News Channel for information and analysis.

Fox News crushed cable news competition during the second quarter of 2024, topping primetime for the 90th consecutive quarter as CNN hit a 33-year low in a critical category.

Fox News averaged 1.3 million total day viewers, compared to 810,000 for MSNBC and a dismal 473,000 for struggling CNN. From 7-11 p.m. ET, Fox News’ lineup of ‘The Ingraham Angle," "Jesse Watters Primetime," "Hannity," and Gutfeld!" averaged over 2 million viewers, while MSNBC managed 1.2 million and CNN settled for only 618,000. 

Fox News beat CNN and MSNBC combined in both measurables, and has been No. 1 in all of cable among total day viewers for 13 consecutive quarters. 

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Fox News Channel hosts Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, and Greg Gutfeld. (Fox News)

"The Five" averaged 3.1 million viewers to finish as the most-watched cable news program during the second quarter. "The Five," with Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, Dana Perino, Jeanine Pirro, Jessica Tarlov and Harold Ford Jr., is the first non-primetime program ever to top all of cable news for 11 consecutive quarters. 

"Jesse Watters Primetime" averaged 2.7 million viewers to finish second, followed by "Hannity," "Gutfeld!," "Special Report with Bret Baier," "The Ingraham Angle," and "Outnumbered" as Fox News Channel offerings occupied the top seven spots. 

The most-watched, non-Fox News program was MSNBC’s "Deadline: White House," which averaged 1.6 million viewers to finish eighth. 

CNN’s most-watched program was "The Lead with Jake Tapper," which averaged 716,000 total viewers to finish No. 29 among cable news programs. Despite being CNN’s highest-rated show, "The Lead" finished behind 14 different Fox News shows and 14 MSNBC offerings. 

"FOX & Friends" finished the quarter with 1.1 million viewers and has now topped MSNBC and CNN morning shows for more than three straight years. "America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino," "The Faulkner Focus," "America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith," Martha MacCallum’s "The Story," and "Your World with Neil Cavuto" also had strong quarters to help keep Fox News ahead of cable news competition during the day. 

Fox News defeated CNN and MSNBC combined among total viewers on Saturdays and Sundays, as "Life, Liberty & Levin" was the most-watched weekend cable news program of the quarter. 

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"The Five," is the first non-primetime program ever to top all of cable news for 11 consecutive quarters.  (FOX News Media)

Fox News programs didn’t only thump cable news competition, as "Gutfeld!" outdrew CBS’ "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," ABC’s "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," NBC’s "The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon," "Late Night with Seth Meyers," and CBS’ "After Midnight."

Fox News dominated the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults age 25-54, finishing with the 14 most-watched cable news programs. "Gutfeld!" was the most-watched show in the critical category, averaging 295,000 demo viewers.

Fox News averaged 154,000 demo viewers compared to 85,000 for CNN and 83,000 for MSNBC. From 7-11 p.m. ET, Fox News averaged 214,000 advertiser-coveted viewers with CNN drawing 120,000 and MSNBC managing only 113,000. 

Fox News was the only network to show growth across the board versus 2023, while CNN and MSNBC both shed double digits in the key 25-54 demo. CNN hit a new low among demo viewers, delivering its smallest younger audience since 1991, despite hosting last week's presidential debate. 

All data courtesy of Nielsen Media Research. 

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