Two Prime Time Hosts Nearly Tie for Total Viewers, But One Was Way Ahead in Key Demo in Friday Ratings

MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and Fox News’ Jesse Watters, filling in for Sean Hannity on Friday, were neck-and-neck in the race for total viewers, but Watters outdrew Maddow in the valuable demographic of viewers age 25-54.

The Rachel Maddow Show averaged 2.194 million total viewers on Friday, while Hannity, hosted by Watters, was just behind, with 2.191 million, according to Nielsen data. However, in the key demo, Watters drew a much bigger crowd, with 346,000 in the demo, while Maddow averaged 228,000.

In terms of the top five most-watched shows on cable news Friday, Fox’s The Five took the top spot in total viewers, with 2.61 million, and was second in the demo, with 362,000. Tucker Carlson Tonight was second in total viewers, with 2.46 million, and first in the demo, with 399,000. Maddow was third in total viewers, with 2.19 million, but with 228,000 in the demo, was locked out of the top five most-watched. Hannity was fourth overall, with 2.19 million, and third in the demo, with 346,000. The Ingraham Angle was fifth in total viewers, with 1.97 million, and fourth in the demo, with 283,000. Fox News’ coverage of the sentencing of Derek Chauvin, convicted of murdering George Floyd, boosted the 3 p.m. hour, and The Story with Martha McCallum, into the fifth most-watched show of the day in the demo.

Fox News won in total day, averaging 1.52 million total viewers and 231,000 in the demo. MSNBC was second in total viewers, with 1.13 million, and third in the demo, with 150,000. CNN was third in total viewers, with 859,000, but second in the demo, with 200,000.

In prime time, Fox won the night with 2.21 million total viewers and 343,000 in the demo. MSNBC was second in total viewers, with 1.69 million, and third in the demo, with 179,000. CNN averaged the fewest prime time viewers, with 924,000, but was second in the demo, with 215,000.

Fox and Friends won in the early morning, with 1.19 million total viewers and 188,000 in the demo. MSNBC’s Morning Joe was second in total viewers, with 928,000, and just barely lost to CNN in the demo, with 100,000. CNN’s New Day was third in total viewers, with 477,000, and second in the demo, with 101,000.