Cable News Ratings, December 23 & 24: Maddow Climbs in the Ratings, But Fox News Sweeps Friday in the Demo

Mediaite StaffDec 28th, 2021, 12:33 pm
 

On Thursday, heading into the Christmas holiday, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow had the fifth most-watched show on cable news.

Maddow hosted her show both Thursday and Friday, while her competitors like Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham were replaced by guest hosts. Maddow, who usually trails both Ingraham and Hannity managed on Thursday to just top Ingraham Angle guest host Raymond Arroyo in total viewers, 1.85 million to 1.66 million, respectively. Arroyo still won in the key 25-54 age demographic.

On Friday, Fox News pulled off a total sweep in the key demo. Fox had the top 13 programs for the day, meaning that all of Fox’s programming ranked above CNN and MSNBC in the demo.

Fox’s The Five Special was Friday’s highest-rated show both in total viewers and the demo, with 2.02 million and 295,000, respectively.

Here is a full breakdown of Thursday’s cable news ratings by show (Scroll down for Friday numbers):

Total Viewers (thousands)

ET FNC CNN MSNBC NEWSMAX NEWSNATION
6a FOX AND FRIENDS:
921		 NEW DAY:
273		 MORNING JOE:
801		 SIT-DOWN: HUCKABEE AND TR:
15		 MURDER, SHE WROTE:
55
7a FOX AND FRIENDS:
1259		 NEW DAY:
306		 — WAKE UP AMERICA:
84		 MORNING IN AMERICA:
13
8a FOX AND FRIENDS:
1650		 NEW DAY:
390		 — — —
9a AMERICAS NEWSROOM:
1671		 CNN NEWSROOM:
508		 STEPHANIE RUHLE REPORTS:
773		 NATIONAL REPORT:
169		 —
10a AMERICAS NEWSROOM:
1669		 CNN NEWSROOM:
459		 JOSE DIAZ-BALART REPORTS:
634		 — JAG:
77
11a FAULKNER FOCUS, THE:
1640		 AT THIS HOUR:
547		 CRAIG MELVIN REPORTS:
548		 — JAG:
135
12p OUTNUMBERED:
1746		 AT THIS HOUR:
547		 ANDREA MITCHELL REPORTS:
631		 JOHN BACHMAN NOW:
162		 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
188
1p AMERICA REPORTS:
1734		 CNN NEWSROOM:
698		 MTP DAILY:
699		 — IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
229
2p AMERICA REPORTS:
2030		 CNN NEWSROOM:
942		 KATY TUR REPORTS:
785		 AMERICAN AGENDA:
156		 BLUE BLOODS:
228
3p STORY, THE:
1610		 CNN NEWSROOM:
782		 HALLIE JACKSON REPORTS:
825		 — BLUE BLOODS:
312
4p YOUR WORLD W/NEIL CAVUTO:
1385		 LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER:
730		 DEADLINE:WHITE HOUSE:
1148		 ERIC BOLLING THE BALANCE:
199		 BLUE BLOODS:
398
5p FIVE, THE:
3091		 SITUATION ROOM:
713		 — MIKE HUCKABEE?S CHRISTMAS:
125		 NEWSNATION: RUSH HOUR:
148
6p SPECIAL RPT W/BRET BAIER:
2196		 SITUATION ROOM:
602		 BEAT W/ARI MELBER:
925		 SPICER & CO:
267		 DONLON REPORT, THE:
73
7p FOX NEWS PRIMETIME:
1816		 ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT:
618		 REIDOUT:
858		 GREG KELLY REPORTS:
372		 ON BALANCE W/ VITTERT:
29
8p TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT:
2536		 ANDERSON COOPER 360:
676		 ALL IN W/ CHRIS HAYES:
1159		 STINCHFIELD:
174		 DAN ABRAMS LIVE:
32
9p HANNITY:
1984		 CNN TONIGHT:
562		 RACHEL MADDOW SHOW:
1850		 CORTES & PELLEGRINO:
82		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
27
10p INGRAHAM ANGLE, THE:
1666		 DON LEMON TONIGHT:
424		 LAST WORD W/ L. ODONNELL:
1257		 ROB SCHMITT TONIGHT:
80		 BANFIELD:
24
11p GUTFELD!:
1501		 ANDERSON COOPER 360:
359		 11TH HOUR:
791		 GREG KELLY REPORTS:
76		 ON BALANCE W/ VITTERT:
14

25-54 Demo (thousands)

ET FNC CNN MSNBC NEWSMAX NEWSNATION
6a FOX AND FRIENDS:
187		 NEW DAY:
52		 MORNING JOE:
81		 SIT-DOWN: HUCKABEE AND TR:
2		 MURDER, SHE WROTE:
9
7a FOX AND FRIENDS:
186		 NEW DAY:
59		 — WAKE UP AMERICA:
16		 MORNING IN AMERICA:
1
8a FOX AND FRIENDS:
248		 NEW DAY:
60		 — — —
9a AMERICAS NEWSROOM:
268		 CNN NEWSROOM:
70		 STEPHANIE RUHLE REPORTS:
91		 NATIONAL REPORT:
36		 —
10a AMERICAS NEWSROOM:
271		 CNN NEWSROOM:
78		 JOSE DIAZ-BALART REPORTS:
73		 — JAG:
4
11a FAULKNER FOCUS, THE:
240		 AT THIS HOUR:
97		 CRAIG MELVIN REPORTS:
64		 — JAG:
23
12p OUTNUMBERED:
266		 AT THIS HOUR:
82		 ANDREA MITCHELL REPORTS:
69		 JOHN BACHMAN NOW:
45		 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
23
1p AMERICA REPORTS:
288		 CNN NEWSROOM:
98		 MTP DAILY:
68		 — IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
40
2p AMERICA REPORTS:
349		 CNN NEWSROOM:
164		 KATY TUR REPORTS:
74		 AMERICAN AGENDA:
32		 BLUE BLOODS:
38
3p STORY, THE:
294		 CNN NEWSROOM:
150		 HALLIE JACKSON REPORTS:
91		 — BLUE BLOODS:
48
4p YOUR WORLD W/NEIL CAVUTO:
265		 LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER:
124		 DEADLINE:WHITE HOUSE:
129		 ERIC BOLLING THE BALANCE:
36		 BLUE BLOODS:
71
5p FIVE, THE:
458		 SITUATION ROOM:
159		 — MIKE HUCKABEE?S CHRISTMAS:
33		 NEWSNATION: RUSH HOUR:
38
6p SPECIAL RPT W/BRET BAIER:
367		 SITUATION ROOM:
136		 BEAT W/ARI MELBER:
103		 SPICER & CO:
57		 DONLON REPORT, THE:
23
7p FOX NEWS PRIMETIME:
305		 ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT:
139		 REIDOUT:
93		 GREG KELLY REPORTS:
74		 ON BALANCE W/ VITTERT:
0
8p TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT:
399		 ANDERSON COOPER 360:
169		 ALL IN W/ CHRIS HAYES:
117		 STINCHFIELD:
43		 DAN ABRAMS LIVE:
3
9p HANNITY:
305		 CNN TONIGHT:
140		 RACHEL MADDOW SHOW:
221		 CORTES & PELLEGRINO:
28		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
5
10p INGRAHAM ANGLE, THE:
297		 DON LEMON TONIGHT:
119		 LAST WORD W/ L. ODONNELL:
106		 ROB SCHMITT TONIGHT:
11		 BANFIELD:
9
11p GUTFELD!:
281		 ANDERSON COOPER 360:
91		 11TH HOUR:
79		 GREG KELLY REPORTS:
7		 ON BALANCE W/ VITTERT:
3

As for the three cable news networks overall, here are the total day averages in total viewers and the 25-54 category.

Total viewers:

CNN: 525,000

Fox: 1.62 million

MSNBC: 849,000

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 105,000

Fox News: 272,000

MSNBC: 91,000

Here are the prime time averages — encompassing shows which air from 8-11 p.m. — in total viewers and the 25-54 demo.

Total viewers:

CNN: 554,000

Fox News: 2.06 million

MSNBC: 1.42 million

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 143,000

Fox News: 334,000

MSNBC: 148,000

For more ratings information and analysis go to ShowBuzz Daily.

Here is a full breakdown of Friday’s cable news ratings by show:

Total Viewers (thousands)

ET FNC CNN MSNBC NEWSMAX NEWSNATION
6a FOX AND FRIENDS SPECIAL:
861		 NEW DAY SPECIAL:
315		 MORNING JOE:
468		 CONVERSATIONS WITH NANCY:
6		 MURDER, SHE WROTE:
52
7a FOX AND FRIENDS SPECIAL:
1214		 NEW DAY SPECIAL:
371		 — WAKE UP AMERICA:
71		 MORNING IN AMERICA:
27
8a FOX AND FRIENDS SPECIAL:
1642		 NEW DAY SPECIAL:
478		 — — —
9a FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
1680		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
519		 MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE:
623		 NATIONAL REPORT:
117		 —
10a FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
1731		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
630		 — — JAG:
102
11a FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
1584		 AT THIS HOUR SPCL:
671		 MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE:
601		 MIKE HUCKABEE?S CHRISTMAS:
78		 JAG:
129
12p OUTNUMBERED SPECIAL:
1633		 AT THIS HOUR SPCL:
620		 — JOHN BACHMAN NOW:
90		 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
179
1p FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
1334		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
588		 MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE:
536		 — IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
221
2p FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
1203		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
590		 — AMERICAN AGENDA:
101		 BLUE BLOODS:
312
3p FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
1269		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
648		 MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE:
464		 — BLUE BLOODS:
367
4p YOUR WORLD W/CAVUTO SPCL:
1139		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
596		 DEADLINE:WHITE HOUSE:
768		 ERIC BOLLING THE BALANCE:
139		 BLUE BLOODS:
458
5p FIVE, THE SPCL:
2021		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
666		 FIRESIDE HISTORY W/ MB:
700		 CHRIS SALCEDO SHOW, THE:
116		 NEWSNATION: RUSH HOUR:
186
6p SPCL RPT W/BRET BAIER SPC:
1344		 WEED 6:
459		 BEAT W/ARI MELBER:
615		 SPICER & CO:
153		 DONLON REPORT, THE:
66
7p WHO CAN FORGET CHRISTMAS:
970		 JERUSALEM:
367		 REIDOUT:
613		 MIKE HUCKABEE?S CHRISTMAS:
117		 ON BALANCE W/ VITTERT:
32
8p TUCKER CARLSON SPECIAL:
1226		 JERUSALEM:
334		 ALL IN W/ CHRIS HAYES:
689		 STINCHFIELD:
98		 DAN ABRAMS LIVE:
21
9p HANNITY SPECIAL:
1165		 JERUSALEM:
275		 RACHEL MADDOW SHOW:
1223		 CORTES & PELLEGRINO:
85		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
29
10p INGRAHAM ANGLE SPECIAL:
1215		 JERUSALEM:
302		 LAST WORD W/ L. ODONNELL:
827		 ROB SCHMITT TONIGHT:
118		 BANFIELD:
31
11p GUTFELD SPECIAL:
1225		 JERUSALEM:
302		 ALL IN W/ CHRIS HAYES:
373		 GREG KELLY REPORTS:
102		 ON BALANCE W/ VITTERT:
21

25-54 Demo (thousands)

ET FNC CNN MSNBC NEWSMAX NEWSNATION
6a FOX AND FRIENDS SPECIAL:
127		 NEW DAY SPECIAL:
57		 MORNING JOE:
27		 CONVERSATIONS WITH NANCY:
4		 MURDER, SHE WROTE:
14
7a FOX AND FRIENDS SPECIAL:
187		 NEW DAY SPECIAL:
54		 — WAKE UP AMERICA:
8		 MORNING IN AMERICA:
6
8a FOX AND FRIENDS SPECIAL:
323		 NEW DAY SPECIAL:
65		 — — —
9a FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
280		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
66		 MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE:
60		 NATIONAL REPORT:
21		 —
10a FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
280		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
100		 — — JAG:
20
11a FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
242		 AT THIS HOUR SPCL:
127		 MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE:
75		 MIKE HUCKABEE?S CHRISTMAS:
12		 JAG:
20
12p OUTNUMBERED SPECIAL:
203		 AT THIS HOUR SPCL:
110		 — JOHN BACHMAN NOW:
5		 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
36
1p FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
184		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
68		 MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE:
47		 — IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
41
2p FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
192		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
77		 — AMERICAN AGENDA:
11		 BLUE BLOODS:
44
3p FOX NEWS LIVE SPECIAL:
198		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
95		 MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE:
49		 — BLUE BLOODS:
47
4p YOUR WORLD W/CAVUTO SPCL:
137		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
103		 DEADLINE:WHITE HOUSE:
61		 ERIC BOLLING THE BALANCE:
21		 BLUE BLOODS:
78
5p FIVE, THE SPCL:
295		 CNN NEWSROOM SPCL:
146		 FIRESIDE HISTORY W/ MB:
49		 CHRIS SALCEDO SHOW, THE:
20		 NEWSNATION: RUSH HOUR:
28
6p SPCL RPT W/BRET BAIER SPC:
196		 WEED 6:
110		 BEAT W/ARI MELBER:
56		 SPICER & CO:
27		 DONLON REPORT, THE:
21
7p WHO CAN FORGET CHRISTMAS:
151		 JERUSALEM:
68		 REIDOUT:
60		 MIKE HUCKABEE?S CHRISTMAS:
12		 ON BALANCE W/ VITTERT:
15
8p TUCKER CARLSON SPECIAL:
172		 JERUSALEM:
48		 ALL IN W/ CHRIS HAYES:
79		 STINCHFIELD:
6		 DAN ABRAMS LIVE:
2
9p HANNITY SPECIAL:
161		 JERUSALEM:
31		 RACHEL MADDOW SHOW:
107		 CORTES & PELLEGRINO:
2		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
2
10p INGRAHAM ANGLE SPECIAL:
205		 JERUSALEM:
40		 LAST WORD W/ L. ODONNELL:
68		 ROB SCHMITT TONIGHT:
2		 BANFIELD:
2
11p GUTFELD SPECIAL:
265		 JERUSALEM:
41		 ALL IN W/ CHRIS HAYES:
57		 GREG KELLY REPORTS:
1		 ON BALANCE W/ VITTERT:
0

As for the three cable news networks overall, here are the total day averages in total viewers and the 25-54 category.

Total viewers:

CNN: 443,000

Fox: 1.23 million

MSNBC: 573,00

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 74,000

Fox News: 203,000

MSNBC: 53,000

Here are the prime time averages — encompassing shows which air from 8-11 p.m. — in total viewers and the 25-54 demo.

Total viewers:

CNN: 304,000

Fox News: 1.20 million

MSNBC: 913,000

25-54 Demo:

CNN: 40,000

Fox News: 179,000

MSNBC: 85,000

For more ratings information and analysis go to ShowBuzz Daily.

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