As we had documented last month, the absence of Tucker Carlson Tonight cost Fox News Channel’s prime time a loss of nearly one million total viewers and nearly half its 25-54 demo in the one month following Carlson’s exit.
FNC perked up a bit in the month of June. For weeknights in prime time for June 5-23, their prime time averaged 1.78 million viewers including 184,000 adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research. Those were increases of 14 percent (in viewers) and 18 percent (in demo) compared to the previous month (Apr. 24-May 26; 1.56 million viewers and 156,000 in 25-54). June’s news coverage was highlighted by another Trump indictment, town halls by several other Republican presidential candidates, and the Titanic submersible tragedy.
The final week of FNC’s interim prime time lineup that had featured Fox News Tonight at 8 p.m. hour had posted 1.685 million viewers and 152,000 adults 25-54 for July 10-14.
On July 17, FNC’s revamped weeknights launched: Jesse Watters Primetime at 8 p.m., Hannity remaining at 9 p.m. and Gutfeld! at 10 p.m., with The Ingraham Angle moving to 7 p.m. The following numbers indicated an immediate bounce in each hour of prime time:
Jesse Watters Primetime
• Weeknights at 7 p.m. June 5-23, 2023: 2.083 million viewers; 185,000 adults 25-54
• Weeknights at 7 p.m. July 10-14, 2023: 2.076 million viewers; 180,000 adults 25-54
• Premiere at 8 p.m. July 17, 2023: 2.463 million viewers; 163,000 adults 25-54
• Weeknights at 8 p.m. July 17-28 & Aug. 1-4, 2023:2.397 million viewers; 211,000 adults 25-54
The 3-week period was significantly up over the final week of the 8 p.m. Fox News Tonight from July 10-14 (1.559 million viewers/ 139,000 adults 25-54): +838,000 viewers; (+54 percent) +72,000 adults 25-54 (+52 percent). In addition, “Watters” added viewers to his program with the shift to one hour later.
Hannity
• Weeknights at 9 p.m. June 5-23, 2023: 1.978 million viewers; 201,000 adults 25-54
• Weeknights at 9 p.m. July 10-14, 2023: 1.903 million viewers; 157,000 adults 25-54
• 9 p.m. July 17, 2023: 2.243 million viewers; 150,000 adults 25-54
• Weeknights at 9 p.m. July 17-28 & Aug. 1-4, 2023:2.265 million viewers; 213,000 adults 25-54
While Hannity is still not yet as high as it performed following Tucker Carlson on April 10-21 (2.466 million viewers; 266,000 adults 25-54), Watters providing a better lead-in for Hannity proved beneficial.
Gutfeld!
• Weeknights at 11 p.m. June 5-23, 2023: 1.633 million viewers; 238,000 adults 25-54
• Weeknights at 11 p.m. July 10-14, 2023: 1.534 million viewers; 208,000 adults 25-54
• Premiere at 10 p.m. July 17, 2023: 2.143 million viewers; 250,000 adults 25-54
• Weeknights at 10 p.m. July 17-28 & Aug. 1-4, 2023:1.971 million viewers; 258,000 adults 25-54
The talk show formerly in the 11 p.m. late-night slot has now become the network’s top prime time hour in the key 25-54 demographic, crossing the 300,000 threshold three times (308,000 on each July 26 & Aug. 1; 311,000 on Aug. 3) since it moved to its new time. It jumped 62 percent in that demo from what former 10 p.m. occupant Ingraham had done back on July 10-14.
Thus far, thru fourteen prime times from July 17-28 and Aug. 1-4, Fox News has averaged 2.21 million viewers including 227,000 adults 25-54 — a marked improvement from the previous two months but still, 320,000 viewers and 68,000 adults 25-54 short of Fox News Channel’s prime time of Carlson’s last two weeks (Apr. 10-21).
As for The Ingraham Angle, it nearly matched what “Watters” had done at 7 p.m., while exhibiting noticeable growth among total viewers from her recent 10 p.m. levels.
The Ingraham Angle
• Weeknights at 10 p.m. June 5-23, 2023: 1.665 million viewers; 184,000 adults 25-54
• Weeknights at 10 p.m. July 10-14, 2023: 1.594 million viewers; 159,000 adults 25-54
• Premiere at 7 p.m. July 17, 2023: 2.093 million viewers; 162,000 adults 25-54
• Weeknights at 7 p.m. July 17-28 & Aug. 1-4, 2023:1.930 million viewers; 176,000 adults 25-54
Cable news averages forJuly 17-23, 2023:
Total Day(July 17-23 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.122 million viewers; 128,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.779 million viewers; 84,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.426 million viewers; 75,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.170 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.146 million viewers; 40,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.127 million viewers; 29,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.111 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.081 million viewers; 19,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.055 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time(July 17-22 @ 8-11 p.m.; July 23 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.862 million viewers; 181,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.200 million viewers; 121,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.523 million viewers; 98,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.260 million viewers; 26,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.096 million viewers; 18,000 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. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.847 million viewers
2. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 7/19/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.766 million viewers
3. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 7/20/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.682 million viewers
4. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.649 million viewers
5. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 7/17/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.588 million viewers
6. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 7/17/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.463 million viewers
7. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 7/20/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.451 million viewers
8. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 7/21/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.436 million viewers
9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.396 million viewers
10. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 7/19/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.384 million viewers
11. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 7/17/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.357 million viewers
165. The Lead with Jake Tapper “Fl. Gov. Ron Desantis Interview” (CNN, Tue. 7/18/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.786 million viewers
394. Forensic Files (HLN, late Tue. 7/18/2023 1:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.308 million viewers
395. Kudlow (FBN, Thu. 7/20/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.307 million viewers
464. Closing Bell (CNBC, Tue. 7/18/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.248 million viewers
648. Cuomo (NWSN, Fri. 7/21/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.165 million viewers
661. The Earth Unlocked “(208) Space Weather” (TWC, Sat. 7/22/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.156 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs(and the topprograms of other outlets with their respective associated ranks)among adults 25-54:
1. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.321 million adults 25-54
2. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 7/19/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.304 million adults 25-54
3. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 7/20/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.287 million adults 25-54
4. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Wed. 7/19/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.278 million adults 25-54
5. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.260 million adults 25-54
6. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.256 million adults 25-54
7. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.253 million adults 25-54
8. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Thu. 7/20/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.253 million adults 25-54
9. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Mon. 7/17/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.250 million adults 25-54
10. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 7/17/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.232 million adults 25-54
18. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 7/17/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.194 million adults 25-54
47. The Source with Kaitlan Collins (CNN, Tue. 7/18/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.162 million adults 25-54
194. Forensic Files (HLN, late Tue. 7/18/2023 1:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.098 million adults 25-54
353. Closing Bell (CNBC, Tue. 7/18/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.069 million adults 25-54
393. Weekend Recharge (TWC, Sun. 7/23/2023 11:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.062 million adults 25-54
586. Newsnation Prime (NWSN, Sun. 7/23/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.039 million adults 25-54
619. Varney & Company (FBN, Thu. 7/20/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.036 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
