Cable News Viewers Chose One Cable News Network Ahead of Holiday Weekend in Friday Ratings Race

The Friday before a long holiday weekend is usually tough on viewership, but the Fox News audience tuned in and kept the network in the top spot across the board as the 4th of July weekend started.

Fox did especially well with viewers age 25-54 on Friday, notching the top eleven most-watched shows in that valuable demographic, according to Nielsen. Tucker Carlson Tonight was first in the demo, with 370,000, and also first in total viewers, with 2.78 million. The Five was second in both the demo, with 340,000, and in total viewers, with 2.3 million. The 9 a.m. hour of America’s Newsroom was third in the demo, with 290,000, while Hannity, guest hosted by Tammy Bruce, was third in total viewers, with 2.04 million. Gutfeld! was fourth in the demo, with 277,000, and The Ingraham Angle, guest hosted by Jason Chaffetz, was fourth in total viewers, with 1.66 million. Hannity was fifth in the demo, with 270,000, and the 9 a.m. hour of America’s Newsroom was fifth in total viewers, with 1.61 million.

The only non-Fox show among the 11 most-watched shows in total viewers was a two-hour special edition of The Rachel Maddow Show, guest hosted by Ali Velshi, which notched 1.56 million total viewers (177,000 in the demo). Anderson Cooper 360, guest hosted by John Berman, was the first show to snap Fox’s run on the most-watched shows in the demo; it came in 12th, averaging 185,000 viewers in the demo (900,000 viewers total).

In total day, Fox News averaged the most viewers, with 1.43 million total, and 224,000 in the demo. MSNBC was second in total viewers, with 1.01 million, and third in the demo, with 122,000. CNN was third in total viewers, with 678,000, and second in the demo, with 145,000.

Fox was also first in prime time, with 2.16 million total viewers and 286,000 in the demo. MSNBC was second, with 1.4 million, and 163,000 in the demo. CNN was third, with 810,000 total viewers and 156,000 in the demo.

In the early morning, Fox and Friends won with 1.19 million total viewers, and 216,000 in the demo. MSNBC’s Morning Joe was second in total viewers, with 995,000, and a close third in the demo, with 121,000. CNN’s New Day averaged 514,000 total viewers, and was second in the demo, with 126,000 viewers in the demo.