April Ratings: Fox News Returns to Dominance, But All Networks See Steep Declines From Last Year
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April saw Fox News top the ratings charts in all of cable in both total day and prime time among total viewers, and while all three cable news networks were down compared to April 2020 – when overall viewership was up due to pandemic coverage – MSNBC saw the smallest decrease in audience size according to data from Nielsen.
MSNBC was second in all of cable for the month. CNN was third in total day in all of basic cable, and third among cable news networks, but dropped below HGTV and TBS to land in fifth place in basic cable among total day viewers.
In total day, Fox averaged the most total viewers, with 1.22 million, a drop of 45% from April 2020. MSNBC averaged 953,000 total viewers in total day, a drop of 25% from last year – the smallest drop of all the cable news networks in this segment. CNN was third, with 786,000, a drop of 42% from the year before.
In the valuable demographic of viewers age 25-54 in total day, Fox was down 52% from April 2020, for a total of 214,000 – still in first, but the biggest drop in younger viewers. CNN was second in the demo, with 205,000, down 48% from the year before. MSNBC was third in the demo, with 138,000, but saw the smallest drop-off from last year.
Fox dominated prime time in April, averaging 2.24 million total viewers, a drop of 39% from last year. MSNBC was second in total viewers, with 1.58 million, and was down a comparatively low 22% from last year. CNN was third in total viewers, with 1.03 million, and saw the biggest drop in total prime time viewers from April 2020, 47%.
In the demo in prime time, Fox was first with 368,000, down 45% from last year. CNN was second, with 276,000, and had the biggest drop in prime time viewers in the demo, losing 52% from April 2020. MSNBC was third in the demo, with 227,000, a drop of 32%.
Fox & Friends was the most-watched morning show on weekdays, averaging 1.18 million total viewers and 221,000 in the demo. Morning Joe on MSNBC was second, with 1.07 million total viewers, and 153,000 in the demo. CNN’s New Day was third, with 513,000 total viewers, and 128,000 in the demo.
Fox had four of the five most-watched shows in April in both total viewers and in the key demo. Tucker Carlson Tonight was first, averaging 3.02 million total viewers, and 523,000 in the demo. The Five was second in total viewers, with 2.733 million, and third in the demo, with 431,000. Hannity was third in total viewers, with 2.730 million, and second in the demo, with 449,000. MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show was fourth, with 2.71 million total viewers, and 396,000 in the demo. The Ingraham Angle was the fifth most-watched show in both total viewers, with 2.07 million, and in the demo, with 379,000.
Other ratings notes from April:
– Fox’s pitch to late-night audiences, Gutfeld!, has been a ratings success for the network so far, debuting to strong ratings and finishing the month at as first in the 11 p.m. timeslot, despite not getting much love from critics.
– Both Fox News and MSNBC claimed victory among total viewers at 9 p.m. According to Fox, the network averaged 2.73 million total viewers at that hour, and Maddow averaged 2.71 million. According to MSNBC, Maddow averaged 2.82 million, while Fox averaged 2.78 million in the timeslot.
– MSNBC was the most-watched cable news network among African American, Asian American Pacific Islander, and Hispanic viewers during prime time, and most-watched in African American viewership across all of cable, making it the cable news leader in diverse audiences, according to the network.
– Although viewership was down overall from last year, CNN did have its third-highest April ratings in total viewers in 18 years, according to the network.
