CNN Hits a Record Ratings Low As Fox Prime Time Recovers and MSNBC Sees Growth in Third Quarter of 2023

The third quarter of 2023 saw some major changes to the cable news landscape as Fox Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch officially stepped aside and CNN announced a new CEO, but the dynamic in terms of ratings remained relatively stable with Fox on top, MSNBC continuing to grow in second and CNN still in flux.

While Fox marked its tenth consecutive quarter atop the industry and its top-rated show The Five landed its eighth consecutive quarter at number one, the network, along with CNN, did see hefty year-over-year declines.

In total day viewers, Fox and CNN dropped 22 and 16 percent, respectively, while MSNBC gained 5 percent year over year for the quarter. In the key 25-54 age demographic, MSNBC was also up 5 percent while Fox and CNN declined 34 and 20 percent – respectively. MSNBC boasted of adding more viewers year over year in the third quarter of any other top 40 network with 38,000 more average viewers.

CNN, on the other hand, hit a historic low in the quarter dropping to 119,000 average prime time viewers in the demo and 88,000 average total day demo viewers – the lowest numbers for the network since data became available in 1991. For context, CNN had only dropped below 130,000 average prime time demo viewers in a quarter once before this year, hitting 129,000 in Q2 of 2012. But so far this year, the network brought in 124,000 in the first quarter and 126,000 prime time demo viewers in the second. CNN’s most recent all-time low in the total day demo was Q3 of 2000, when the network notched 89,000 average demo viewers.

CNN did however tie MSNBC in the total day demo for the quarter, as MSNBC also notched 88,000 total day demo viewers, despite a 813,000 to 471,000 lead in total viewers. CNN beat MSNBC in the total day demo in September with 85,000 viewers to 84,000. In the prime time demo, MSNBC only led CNN by 10,000 viewers with 129,000 viewers in the quarter.

Despite year-over-year declines, Fox posted major gains for the quarter with its new prime time lineup that launched on July 17th. When compared to the period after Tucker Carlson was fired in late April to the launch of the new lineup, Fox gained 25 percent in total viewers and a whopping 48 percent in the demo.

Jesse Watters, who took over Carlson’s 8 p.m. time slot, landed in second place overall with 2.4 million average viewers for the quarters and 231,000 demo viewers. Sean Hannity came in third place at 9 p.m. with 2.25 million average total viewers and 241,000 demo viewers. Greg Gutfeld landed fourth in total viewers with 1.9 million, but landed second overall in the demo behind The Five with 267,000 demo viewers. The Five led cable news in both total and demo viewers with 2.7 million and 273,000 viewers, respectively.

Watters, who also co-hosts The Five, landed the top two shows on cable news for the quarter, the only host bringing in over 2 million viewers on multiple programs.

Laura Ingraham at 7 p.m. rounded out the top five shows for the quarter, while Bret Baier came in sixth place. MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell, Nicolle Wallace, Ari Melber, and Alex Wagner filled out the top ten – in that order.

CNN’s top-rated host, meanwhile, was Anderson Cooper who had the 27th most-watched show with 757,000 average total viewers.

Rachel Maddow, who only hosts her show on Mondays, marked her 15th year on the air on September 8th and notched a very solid 2.6 million total viewers for the quarter and 262,000 demo viewers.

Here are the total day averages in total viewers and the 25-54 category for the 3rd quarter of 2023.

Total viewers:

CNN: 471,000

Fox 1.10 million

MSNBC: 813,000

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 88,000

Fox News: 132,000

MSNBC: 88,000

Here are the prime time averages — encompassing shows which air from 8-11 p.m. — for the third quarter of 2023.

Total viewers:

CNN: 596,000

Fox News: 1.75 million

MSNBC: 1.28 million

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 119,000

Fox News: 192,000

MSNBC: 129,000

Here are the total day averages in total viewers and the 25-54 category during the month of September.

Total viewers:

CNN: 457,000

Fox 1.07 million

MSNBC: 792,000

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 85,000

Fox News: 131,000

MSNBC: 84,000

Here are the prime time averages — encompassing shows which air from 8-11 p.m. —during the month of September.

Total viewers:

CNN: 548,000

Fox News: 1.69 million

MSNBC: 1.22 million

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 109,000

Fox News: 187,000

MSNBC: 116,000