CNN’s Insurrection Coverage Results in Network’s Most-Watched Day in History

The insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, in which supporters of President Donald Trump breached the Capitol as Congress began to count electoral votes and confirm president-elect Joe Biden’s win, led to viewership wins for all three cable news networks.

But CNN drew truly staggering numbers. The network had its most-watched day in history, with more viewers than any broadcast or cable news program. MSNBC also had the highest-rated day in its history, and Fox News had its highest total day and prime time average since the 2020 presidential election.

From 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., as the chaos in the Capitol ratcheted up, CNN averaged 9.39 million viewers, with 3.27 million in the demo. Fox News had 6.07 million total viewers, with 1.58 in the demo, and MSNBC wasn’t far behind, with 5.84 million viewers, and 1.42 million in the demo.

Throughout the day, an average 5.94 million total viewers turned to CNN. By comparison, MSNBC had 4.54 million total viewers, and Fox News had 3.46 million. In the key demographic of viewers age 25-54, CNN had more than the other cable networks combined, with 2.07 million younger viewers; MSNBC had nearly 1.11 million, and Fox had 852,000.

CNN continued its dominance into prime time, with an average 8.42 million total viewers, and nearly 3.2 million in the demo. MSNBC had the second-most total viewers, 7.59 million, and 2.04 million in the demo. Fox News had the fewest total viewers in prime time, 4.71 million, and 1.19 million in the demo.