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Virgin Galactic’s Space Odyssey Helps Cable Ratings Take Off

Published

2 years ago

July 16, 2021

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One of the notable news stories of the past week was when Virgin Galactic launched founder Richard Branson, chief astronaut instructor Beth Moses, lead operations engineer Colin Bennett and government affairs vice president Sirisha Bandla into space in a suborbital spaceflight aboard the aerospace company’s VSS Unity spacecraft on the morning of Sunday, July 11.

The one-hour space trip launched from Spaceport America in New Mexico at 10:51 a.m. ET and had traveled more than 50 miles above Earth, which the U.S. government considers to mark the boundary of outer space.

Branson proclaimed, “To the next generation of dreamers: If we can do this, just imagine what you can do.”

For coverage of the event, Fox News Channel edged just past CNN in total viewers during the 11 a.m.-noon hour, 1.479 million to 1.444 million (CNN’s most-watched hour of the week), according to Nielsen Media Research; it was vice versa between the two networks based on the key adults 25-54 demographic: CNN 275,000, Fox News 227,000. MSNBC trailed both cable news outlets with 1.116 million total viewers and 189,000 adults 25-54 — yet, this delivery was well above the network’s usual weekend figures.

Later on July 11, CNN debuted the first two episodes of its eight-part documentary series “History of the Sitcom”. Their initial telecasts topped all of cable news within the 9-11 p.m. time slot:

9-10 p.m.

History Of The Sitcom “Part 1: A Family Matter” (CNN) 1.399 million viewers
The Next Revolution (FOXNC) 1.279 million viewers
The Week with Joshua Johnson (MSNBC) 0.470 million viewers

At 10 p.m., part two of “History Of The Sitcom”, entitled “Sex & The Sitcom”, drew 1.257 million viewers. It aired opposite re-airings of Fox News’ “Sunday Night In America” (947,000) and MSNBC’s “American Voices” (405,000).

Also on July 11: HLN’s crime docuseries “Forensic Files II” premiered its second season with back-to-back original episodes. The 10-11 p.m. hour averaged 176,000 adults 25-54, besting the entire Sunday prime times of each Fox News Channel (150,000) and MSNBC (approximately 60,000).

Here are the cable news averages for July 5-11, 2021 — cable’s best mark for the week in total viewers based on total day was by Fox News Channel; the 21st consecutive week FNC has accomplished this feat.

Total Day (July 5-11 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)

Fox News Channel: 1.175 million viewers; 193,000 adults 25-54
MSNBC: 0.752 million viewers; 100,000 adults 25-54
CNN: 0.598 million viewers; 125,000 adults 25-54

Prime Time (July 5-10 @ 8-11 p.m.; July 11 @ 7-11 p.m.)

Fox News Channel: 2.046 million viewers; 309,000 adults 25-54
MSNBC: 1.266 million viewers; 156,000 adults 25-54
CNN: 0.833 million viewers; 184,000 adults 25-54

Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top CNN program with their respective associated rank) in total viewers:

1. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 7/8/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.229 million viewers

2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 7/6/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.153 million viewers

3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 7/7/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.083 million viewers

4. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 7/8/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.770 million viewers

5. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 7/7/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.767 million viewers

6. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 7/8/2021 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.622 million viewers

7. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 7/6/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.564 million viewers

8. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 7/7/2021 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.528 million viewers

9. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Fri. 7/9/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.508 million viewers

10. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 7/6/2021 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.473 million viewers

11. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Wed. 7/7/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.371 million viewers

47. Reliable Sources (CNN, Sun. 7/11/2021 11:00 AM, 60 min.) 1.444 million viewers

54. History Of The Sitcom “A Family Matter” (CNN, Sun. 7/11/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.399 million viewers

Top 10 cable news programs (and the top CNN and HLN programs with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:

1. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 7/7/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.550 million adults 25-54

2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Thu. 7/8/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.518 million adults 25-54

3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 7/6/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.511 million adults 25-54

4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Fri. 7/9/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.492 million adults 25-54

5. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 7/7/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.418 million adults 25-54

6. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 7/8/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.416 million adults 25-54

7. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 7/8/2021 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.389 million adults 25-54

8. Hannity (FOXNC, Fri. 7/9/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.353 million adults 25-54

9. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Wed. 7/7/2021 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.349 million adults 25-54

10. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 7/7/2021 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.347 million adults 25-54

29. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Tue. 7/6/2021 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.284 million adults 25-54

124. Forensic Files II “The Obsession” (HLN, Sun. 7/11/2021 10:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.182 million adults 25-54

Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

Douglas Pucci

Douglas Pucci is a Bronx native and NYU graduate analyzing news television ratings for Barrett News Media. He did an internship at VH1’s “Pop Up Video” in 1997. After college, Pucci went on to design, build and maintain websites for various non-profit organizations in his hometown of New York City. He has worked alongside media industry observer Marc Berman for over a decade reporting on all things television, first at Cross MediaWorks from 2011-15 then at Programming Insider since 2016. Pucci also contributed to the sports website Awful Announcing. Read more: https://programminginsider.com/author/douglas/

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Tucker Carlson Leaks Traced Back to Former Deadspin Editor

Burke, who is the husband of Tampa City Council member Lynn Hurtak, saw his home raided by FBI agents earlier this month.

Published

16 hours ago

May 26, 2023

BNM Staff

The FBI has traced leaked videos of former Fox News host Tucker Carlson back to former Deadspin video editor Timothy Burke.

Burke, who is the husband of Tampa City Council member Lynn Hurtak, saw his home raided by FBI agents earlier this month.

A report from the Tampa Bay Times claims a letter was sent to Fox News by the FBI asking the network to preserve information and records related to the investigation for 90 days. The investigation at Fox News “concerns allegations of unauthorized computer access, interception of wire, oral, or electronic communication, conspiracy, and other federal crimes”.

The reportedly hacked material includes the subsequent leaking of unaired portions of Carlson’s interview with Kanye West, which included anti-Semitic remarks, and also the “FOXLEAKS” series from Media Matters that showed Carlson complaining about his relationship with Fox News, among other things.

Many pundits, notably Megyn Kelly and Charlie Kirk, have argued that Fox News was behind the Media Matters leaks. The letter from the FBI to Fox News says both Media Matters and Vice News — who published the West interview clips — have not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Burke has been a prominent online video figure. He produced a video that has gone viral several different times showcasing local news anchors at all Sinclair-owned stations reading the same script about trust in journalism. He also co-authored the 2012 Deadspin report that showed revealed Notre Dame linebacker Manti Teo’s reported relationship and death of his girlfriend was a catfishing hoax.

BNM Staff

News Video

Sean Hannity Hosting Trump Town Hall on Fox News

The one-hour event will be pre-recorded and air in primetime at 9:00 PM ET.

Published

18 hours ago

May 26, 2023

BNM Staff

Fox News host Sean Hannity will host a town hall event with former President Donald Trump next week.

On his primetime television show Thursday, Hannity announced that he will be joined by Trump on Thursday, June 1st for an event in Iowa.

Trump sat down with CNN moderator Kaitlan Collins for a contentious town hall in New Hampshire earlier this month. At the live event, Trump took questions from Republican voters, while also clashing with Collins as she attempted to fact-check and limit his use of false statements.

In the Fox News town hall, the one-hour event will be pre-recorded and air in primetime at 9:00 PM ET. Fox News has aired several pre-recorded sit-down interviews with the former President in recent months.

Earlier this week, while discussing on his radio show whether or not each prospective Republican candidate deserves the same amount of coverage, Hannity shared he had scheduled the event with Trump, but could not remember the specific details.

The event will be taped in Clive, Iowa, a western suburb of Des Moines. It begins a slate of scheduled Republican town halls, as CNN will host events with Nikki Haley and Mike Pence in the following week.

BNM Staff

News Video

Kaitlan Collins Bids Farewell to CNN This Morning as Primetime Show Looms

“The gift of this show, for me, has been you. Thanks for the laughs, the fun, the many Starbucks orders, mostly the friendship.”

Published

1 day ago

May 25, 2023

BNM Staff

CNN This Morning anchor Kaitlan Collins signed off from the show for the final time Thursday as she begins preparations to move to the network’s primetime lineup.

Collins will begin hosting the 9:00 PM ET program for CNN as it looks to regain its footing from a yearslong slide in the ratings. Recently, the network has seen some programs, including Anderson Cooper’s 8:00 PM ET show, defeated in the ratings by upstart Newsmax.

As she shared her final moments on the program with co-anchor Poppy Harlow, Collins shared her appreciation for the relationship she had built with her co-host.

“The gift of this show, for me, has been you. Thanks for the laughs, the fun, the many Starbucks orders, mostly the friendship,” Harlow said to Collins.

See you at 9p, @kaitlancollins! 👋 pic.twitter.com/TjLhjejWVm
— CNN This Morning (@CNNThisMorning) May 25, 2023

CNN This Morning debuted last fall as a three-person program with Collins, Harlow, and the now departed Don Lemon. Lemon and Collins reportedly clashed behind the scenes during a November episode that saw Collins leave the program early. The morning show has failed to gain much traction with viewers thus far, sitting at or below the network’s previous iteration — New Day — in average audience.

Collins is slated to begin her new primetime program in June. It is yet to be titled and a firm debut date has not been announced.

In the meantime, CNN will pair Harlow with a rotating panel of guest co-hosts before settling on a replacement for Collins.

BNM Staff