Fox News Claims Ratings Victory Across Tuesday, But One Primetime Hour Suddenly Looks Competitive in the Demo

Fox News reigned in daytime and primetime ratings on Tuesday, but the network’s win in the demo was unexpectedly narrow in the 9:00 p.m. time-slot, as just 69,000 viewers separated first-place Hannity from third-place Chris Cuomo Tonight.

Across the three hours, Fox posted solid primetime victories over CNN and MSNBC, with 593,000 viewers in the advertiser-coveted 25 – 54 age demographic and 3.89 million in total. That outpaced CNN’s 430,000 and 1.50 million and MSNBC’s 363,000 and 2.34 million. In the middle of primetime, however, longtime champion Sean Hannity saw his numbers dip in the demo to 559,000, putting him uncomfortably close to 9:00 p.m. rivals Chris Cuomo, who pulled in 490,000, and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, who squeaked into second place with 494,000. In total viewers, though, Hannity won handily, reaching an audience of 4.09 million, while Maddow followed roughly a million viewers behind with 3.11 million, and Cuomo limped in with just 1.68 million.

Daytime ratings remained a pitched battle between CNN and Fox News in the demo. On Tuesday, Fox News took the crown, eking out a 13,000-viewer win, 290,000 to 277,000, in the adults 25 – 54 age group. MSNBC continued to run a lap behind the others, with 181,000 in the demo. Overall, Fox News won with 1.90 million, while MSNBC comes next with 1.30 million, and CNN falls to third with 1.11 million.

Looking in at the 4:00 p.m. time-slot, which has been perhaps the most up-for-grabs hour of cable news of late, shows Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto has started to shake loose its competitors and post consistent wins overall and in the demo. Your World’s ratings victories on both Monday and Tuesday were good examples of this, although both days were helped by Trump press conferences that partly pre-empted the show while making huge news — after which Neil Cavuto showed he was unafraid to call out the recklessness of the president’s public health pronouncements. Will viewers continue to reward Cavuto for unapologetically sticking up for the facts? Stay tuned.