Fox News Leads the Cable News Pack in Q2 Ratings
Fox News won the ratings race across the board in the second quarter of 2021, sweeping both MSNBC and CNN in all categories in total day and prime time viewers, according to Nielsen data. Fox was first in both total viewers and in the valuable demographic of viewers age 25-54. MSNBC was second in total viewers for the quarter, and third in the key demo, while CNN was third in total viewers, but second in the A25-54 demo.
Fox marked 78 straight quarters as the most-watched cable news channel in total viewers, and six straight quarters as number one in all of basic cable.
In the valuable prime time hours, Fox News was first in Q2, averaging 2.18 million total viewers, and 347,000 in the demo. MSNBC was second in total viewers, with 1.46 million, and third in the demo, with 198,000. CNN was third in total viewers, averaging 914,000, and was second in the demo, with 224,000.
In total day, Fox News averaged 1.19 million total viewers, and 204,000 in the demo. MSNBC was second in total viewers, with 847,000, and 115,000 in the demo. CNN was third in total viewers for the quarter, with 654,000, and second in the demo, with 160,000.
Fox was also the most-watched network in prime time in all of basic cable, the network said, notching 39 of the top 100 cable telecasts for the quarter. In cable news, Fox claimed four of the five most-watched shows, with Tucker Carlson Tonight topping the charts with 2.92 million total viewers and 487,000 in the demo. Hannity, The Five, and The Ingraham Angle were also in the top five most-watched in cable news, along with MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show.
Gutfeld!, Fox’s entry into the late-night comedy battle, did particularly well for the network, winning its 11 p.m. timeslot among total viewers in cable news, and regularly challenging long-running broadcast comedy shows, including ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon for viewers, according to the network, which also said that Gutfeld! topped Kimmel for the full month of June.
MSNBC was the second most-watched cable network in Q2, and saw some victories of its own. It was first in African American viewership for the quarter, according to a press release. MSNBC also said its viewers watched the network for an average 350 minutes per week during total day hours (compared to 197 for CNN), and an average 135 minutes during Monday-Friday prime time (compared to 65 minutes for CNN and 126 minutes for Fox).
CNN continued to do relatively well in the key demo, topping MSNBC during total day and prime time among younger viewers. CNN’s Sunday morning public affairs shows topped MSNBC in the demo, according to the network, and was also the most-watched from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays in the demo. CNN claimed a 40% share of the A25-54 viewership across all three cable news networks in total day, compared to Fox’s 34% and MSNBC’s 26% share, the network said in a press release.
