Fox News is Only Network To Grow Year-Over-Year in First Quarter Ratings – But There is a Ray of Hope For CNN

Fox News’ dominant performance as the number one network in cable news continued through the first quarter of 2022. It was also the only network to show year-over-year growth in the quarter.

While the first quarter of 2021 showed a massive ratings spike for all the cable news networks, the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Donald Trump’s 2nd impeachment, and President Joe Biden’s inauguration resulted in a high-water mark for CNN, which eclipsed Fox at the time.

However, since Biden’s inauguration Fox is back on top, marking 81 consecutive quarters as the most-watched network in cable news. Fox beat CNN and MSNBC in all four of the major categories: day time total viewers, day time demo, prime time total viewers, and prime time demo. In the last quarter, Fox secured 97 of the top 100 programs on cable news and ranked number one in all of basic cable in total day viewers for the fourth quarter in a row.

Fox’s impressive day time audience was led by The Five, which made history as the first non-prime time show to finish two consecutive quarters as cable’s highest-rated program averaging 3.7 million viewers in the first quarter.

Fox’s newly-launched Jesse Watters Tonight, which airs at 7 p.m., ended its first quarter on-air as the fastest-growing and third-highest rated show on cable news averaging 3.1 million viewers. Tucker Carlson Tonight landed in second place overall with 3.617 million average viewers, while Sean Hannity was bumped down to third just behind Watters with 3.057 million average viewers.

Tucker Carlson still dominated the key 25-54 age demographic with 626,000 demo viewers. The Five took send with 554,000 demo viewers and Watters came in third with 522,000 viewers in the demo.

Compared to the first quarter of 2021, Fox News increased its total audience during the day by 22 percent and 28 percent in the demo. CNN was down 51 percent in total day time viewers and down 55 percent in the demo.

Meanwhile, MSNBC was down 48 percent in total day time viewers and down 60 percent in the demo compared to last year’s first quarter.

During prime time, Fox was up 3 percent in terms of total viewers and 9 percent in the demo. Meanwhile, CNN and MSNBC were down 56 percent and 46 percent, respectively, in terms of total prime time viewers compared to the same quarter last year. In the demo, CNN and MSNBC were down 56 percent and 59 percent, respectively, in the prime time.

However, there was also good news for both CNN and MSNBC in the last quarter, particularly in the month of March as the Russian invasion of Ukraine drew in viewers.

CNN posted year-over-year growth in the month of March, up across the board in both day time and prime time total viewers and demo numbers. CNN saw its largest growth in the prime time demo, which was up 25 percent over March of last year. By comparison, Fox was up 41 percent and MSNBC was down 23 percent in the March prime time demo compared to last year.

Additionally, in March, CNN’s morning show New Day beat MSNBC’s Morning Joe for the first time since October 2017 in the demo, growing its audience there 10 percent. Morning Joe, however, beat CNN in its time slot in terms of total viewers for the 28th quarter in a row.

CNN doubled MSNBC in the March demo in both day and prime time. MSNBC, however, continued to land in second place in terms of total prime time viewers in March.

MSNBC’s March prime time programming brought in an average of 1.28 million viewers, despite the absence of the network’s prime time star Rachel Maddow. The Rachel Maddow Show, which has been guest-hosted since mid-February, averaged 1.84 million viewers in the first quarter, compared to 3.6 million viewers from the same time last year.

CNN was close behind with 1.22 million average prime time viewers, while Fox remained in first with 2.86 million average prime time viewers.

CNN did eclipse MSNBC in total day time viewers, however, bringing in 886,00 to MSNBC’s 780,000 average viewers. Fox again was way out ahead with 1.82 million day time viewers.

Here are the ratings for January and February of 2022.

Here are the total day averages in total viewers and the 25-54 category for a seven-day week during the month of March

Total viewers:

CNN: 886,000

Fox 1.82 million

MSNBC: 780,000

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 230,000

Fox News: 346,000

MSNBC: 103,000

Here are the prime time averages — encompassing shows which air from 8-11 p.m. — in total viewers and the 25-54 demo for a seven-day week during the month of March.

Total viewers:

CNN: 1.22 million

Fox News: 2.86 million

MSNBC: 1.28 million

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 366,000

Fox News: 529,000

MSNBC: 183,000

 

Here are the total day averages in total viewers and the 25-54 category for a seven-day week during the first quarter of 2022.

Total viewers:

CNN: 653,000

Fox 1.61 million

MSNBC: 712,000

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 156,000

Fox News: 283,000

MSNBC: 87,000

Here are the prime time averages — encompassing shows which air from 8-11 p.m. — in total viewers and the 25-54 demo for a seven-day week during the first quarter of 2022.

Total viewers:

CNN: 857,000

Fox News: 2.55 million

MSNBC: 1.205 million

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 232,000

Fox News: 429,000

MSNBC: 149,000