Tucker Carlson’s Coverage of Biden Speech Places First in Thursday Ratings

Maybe it was the Tucker Carlson Reaction Cam to President Joe Biden‘s address to the nation, or maybe it was Carlson’s response to ongoing controversy about his comments on women, women journalists, and women in the military, but Tucker Carlson Tonight again dominated in the ratings Thursday, coming in first in total viewers and in the key demographic of viewers age 25-54.

Carlson drew 4.24 million total viewers Thursday night, and 725,000 in the demo, handily beating out all other cable news shows, according to data from Nielsen. Hannity was the second most-watched overall, with 3.47 million total viewers, and third in the demo, with 596,000. The Rachel Maddow Show was third in total viewers, with 3.32 million, and fifth in the demo, with 434,000. Anderson Cooper 360 was second most-watched in the demo, with 670,000, and had 2.58 million viewers total.

Fox had the strongest showing in total day viewers, averaging 1.69 million, and 278,000 in the demo. MSNBC averaged 1.54 million total viewers, and the fewest in the demo, with 189,000. CNN averaged 1.09 million total viewers, and was second in the demo, with 267,000.

Biden’s address boosted viewership in prime time for all of cable news, and Fox averaged the most total viewers, 3.38 million, and the most in the demo, 566,000. MSNBC was second in total viewers, averaging 2.82 million, and third in the demo, with 377,000. CNN averaged 1.95 million total viewers in prime time, and was second in the demo, with 516,000.

In the early morning, Morning Joe held on to the top spot in total viewers, with 1.3 million total viewers, and was second in the demo, with 156,000. Fox and Friends was second in total viewers, with 1.23 million, and won the demo, with 242,000. CNN’s New Day was third, with 581,000 total viewers, and 125,000 in the demo.