CNN Scores Historic Primetime Ratings on Wednesday, Fox & Friends Draws Biggest Audience Ever Amid Intense 2020 Election Drama

Amid the intense drama over the contested 2020 election, CNN scored historic ratings on Wednesday night, attracting its second-highest total primetime audience in the network’s 40-year history. Likewise, Fox & Friends broke an all-time show record on Wednesday morning in both overall viewers and those in the coveted 25 – 54 age demographic.

According to Nielsen Media Research, CNN topped all of cable news in primetime with a blow-out mark of 7.17 million total viewers on Wednesday, beating out a massive 6.34 million number from Fox News and MSNBC’s 4.81 million. That 7-million-plus figure was only topped in CNN’s four-decade history by its ratings on Election Day 2016. CNN likewise blew away the competition in A25 – 54 viewers, winning the day with 3.6 million in the demo. That number more than doubled the combined primetime audience of its cable news rivals, besting Fox News’ 1.87 million and MSNBC’s 1.33 million in the demo.

In total day ratings, CNN also notched a rare win on Wednesday in both total and A25 – 54 viewers. It pulled in 1.95 million in the demo and 4.53 million overall viewers. That eked out a total viewer win over Fox News, which came in just shy of CNN with 4.33 million (1.35 million in the demo). Fox’s strong showing was powered by record-setting ratings from its morning program Fox & Friends, which drew its largest audience ever with 4.64 million — and 1.04 million in the demo — on Wednesday. MSNBC trailed behind, but still enjoyed strong election-fueled ratings, hitting 764,000 in the demo and 2.89 million overall.