For the 20th consecutive week, Fox News Channel was the highest-rated cable news network in both total day and primetime viewers. Despite the holiday week, FNC remained relatively steady from its recent norms: 2.184 million viewers (including 340,000 within the key adults 25-54 demographic) in prime time; 1.231 million viewers (209,000 adults 25-54) in total day (6:00 a.m.-5:59 a.m.), according to Nielsen Media Research.
The week’s top cable news telecast was the Wednesday, June 30th edition of FNC’s “Hannity”, which featured a town hall with Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Averaging 3.54 million viewers, the event was also the week’s top non-sports telecast on all of cable. By its conclusion, news had broke that a Manhattan grand jury indicted the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, on charges of tax crimes in connection with an array of perks and benefits awarded to employees.
Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” remained the top cable news program, based on nightly average. For June 28-July 2, it averaged 3.1 million viewers and 515,000 in the 25-54 demo. It made news itself since June 28 with Carlson’s repeated claim that the National Security Agency spied on him and his TV show. The allegations spurred a rare public statement by the NSA, tweeting out on June 29 (at 8 p.m. ET, the regular start time of Carlson’s show), “Tucker Carlson has never been an intelligence target of the Agency and the NSA has never had any plans to try to take his program off the air.“
CNN was the week’s definitive cable news runner-up in adults 25-54, buoyed by their “4th in America” special on Sunday, July 4 — a successful attempt at being the cable destination on a holiday night, mimicking their New Year’s Eve success. Among the night’s performers included The Beach Boys with John Stamos, Bebe Rexha, Billy Ray Cyrus, Nelly, Trisha Yearwood, The Harlem Gospel Choir, and “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. The viewer track of the all-night, coast-to-coast celebration was, as follows:
- 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET: 1.134 million viewers; 237,000 adults 25-54
- 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET: 1.319 million viewers; 309,000 adults 25-54
- 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET: 1.757 million viewers; 389,000 adults 25-54
- 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET: 1.505 million viewers; 350,000 adults 25-54
- 11:00 p.m.-midnight ET: 1.095 million viewers; 268,000 adults 25-54
- midnight-1:00 a.m. ET: 0.775 million viewers; 171,000 adults 25-54
- 1:00-2:00 a.m. ET: 0.510 million viewers; 114,000 adults 25-54
- 2:00-3:00 a.m. ET: 0.353 million viewers; 82,000 adults 25-54
Fox News aired its own two-hour Independence Day special from 8-10 p.m. and drew modest figures: 1.241 million total viewers and 167,000 adults 25-54. Preceding the special, at 7 p.m., was “Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy” which topped CNN in total viewers and more than tripled MSNBC in both categories within the 7-8 p.m. hour, drawing an audience of 1.194 million viewers and 138,000 in the 25-54 demo.
Here are the cable news averages for June 28-July 4, 2021 — cable’s best mark for the week in total viewers based on total day was by Fox News Channel; the 20th consecutive week FNC has accomplished this feat.
Total Day (June 28-July 4 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.231 million viewers; 209,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.851 million viewers; 112,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.683 million viewers; 147,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (June 28-July 3 @ 8-11 p.m.; July 4 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.184 million viewers; 340,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.404 million viewers; 180,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.982 million viewers; 227,000 adults 25-54
Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top CNN program with their respective associated rank) in total viewers:
1. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 6/30/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.537 million viewers
2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 6/30/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.133 million viewers
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 6/28/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.098 million viewers
4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 6/29/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.025 million viewers
5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 7/1/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.966 million viewers
6. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Thu. 7/1/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.814 million viewers
7. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Fri. 7/2/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.778 million viewers
8. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 6/30/2021 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.715 million viewers
9. Hannity (FOXNC, Mon. 6/28/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.707 million viewers
10. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 7/1/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.693 million viewers
35. CNN’s 4th In America “2021” (CNN, Sun. 7/4/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.757 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top CNN and HLN programs with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:
1. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 6/30/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.550 million adults 25-54
2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 6/29/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.528 million adults 25-54
3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 6/28/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.523 million adults 25-54
4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 6/30/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.512 million adults 25-54
5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 7/1/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.496 million adults 25-54
6. The Ingraham Angle (FOXNC, Wed. 6/30/2021 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.434 million adults 25-54
7. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 7/1/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.403 million adults 25-54
8. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Wed. 6/30/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.400 million adults 25-54
9. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 6/30/2021 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.398 million adults 25-54
10. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 6/29/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.396 million adults 25-54
11. CNN’s 4th In America “2021” (CNN, Sun. 7/4/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.389 million adults 25-54
181. Forensic Files “True Lies” (HLN, Mon. 6/28/2021 12:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.169 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research