Fox News’ Ratings Are Bouncing Back After Tucker Carlson (2024)

Fox News’ Ratings Are Bouncing Back After Tucker Carlson (2)

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Tucker Carlson’s surprise ouster from Fox News in April promised to answer a long-standing question regarding the network: Is the host at the 8 p.m. hour the star of the show, or is it the prime-time hour that draws in the audience? Four months later, an answer is becoming clearer.

When a rotating cast of Fox News regulars hosted the 8 p.m. slot in the immediate weeks after Carlson left, viewership dropped to 1.49 million per night, roughly half of the industry-leading audience under the ex-host. As the Washington Post reports, the numbers for the entire prime-time lineup were down in the first post-Carlson week, from 2.6 million viewers to 1.6 million. For a week or two there, the network actually lost its top spot on cable news to MSNBC.

But with longtime on-air talent Jesse Watters providing some regularity in the prime-time billing since July 17, the audience is bouncing back. Nielsen ratings show that Fox averaged 2.2 million total viewers from 7 to 11 p.m. over the past four weeks, up from 1.6 million in the previous four-week period. Jesse Watters Primetime has averaged 2.4 million viewers, which is about 60 percent more than the period of revolving hosts.

Watters, a Fox News regular for close to two decades, is well known among the network’s devoted audience as a younger, slightly snarkier version of Carlson — and apparently without some of the baggage of his predecessor. But he’s still got a long way to go before pulling in numbers like Carlson, who was drawing around 3.3 million viewers per night in March.

Carlson, meanwhile, may be having his own problems keeping his audience after getting booted out of the Murdoch empire. As he reportedly courts benefactors to fund his own media enterprise, the viewership on his show hosted on Twitter has declined considerably since it launched in May. And a biography that debuted last week sold only 3,227 copies in its first week — not a great sign that his fan base is willing to eat up everything that comes out about him.

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Fox News’ Ratings Are Bouncing Back After Tucker Carlson
Fox News’ Ratings Are Bouncing Back After Tucker Carlson (2024)

FAQs

Fox News’ Ratings Are Bouncing Back After Tucker Carlson? ›

But with longtime on-air talent Jesse Watters providing some regularity in the prime-time billing since July 17, the audience is bouncing back. Nielsen ratings show that Fox averaged 2.2 million total viewers from 7 to 11 p.m. over the past four weeks, up from 1.6 million in the previous four-week period.

Is Fox News still number one in ratings? ›

Saturday, June 1 Evening Cable News Ratings: Fox News Takes Top Spot in Total Viewers and Demo. MSNBC was second in total viewers, while CNN was No.

Did Newsmax ratings plummet? ›

According to Nielsen, the network only averaged 156,000 daily viewers (including the weekends) and a minuscule 9,000 in the key demo. Compared to last spring, Newsmax experienced a drop of 19 percent in total viewership and 61 percent in the 25-54 category.

What is the average age of people who watch Fox News? ›

As Los Angeles Times reporter Stephen Battaglio recently wrote, the median age of the CNN, Fox and MSNBC audiences is, respectively, 67, 68 and 71. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing for the industry. The 50-plus age group constitutes 43 percent of the television audience.

Are Newsmax ratings soar? ›

After the firing of Tucker Carlson and the network's effort to stop Donald Trump – Fox News has seen its ratings plummet. At the same time Newsmax is seeing its ratings soar! In fact Fox's ratings fell by 19% in prime time, but Newsmax is up by 43% in prime, year over year.

Who has more viewers, CNN or Fox? ›

Further, CNN reached the most viewers in cable news in Q1 2024 among both P2+ and P25-54 (P2+: CNN: 44.0m, Fox News: 43.4m, MSNBC: 34.9m; P25-54: CNN: 11.6m, Fox News: 10.6m, MSNBC: 8.8m).

Who has more viewers Fox or ABC? ›

THE MOST-WATCHED NETWORKS OF 2023 (BY TOTAL VIEWERS)
RankNETWORKVIEWERS (000)
1.NBC4,537
2.CBS4,508
3.ABC3,888
4.Fox3,353
105 more rows
Dec 28, 2023

Who is the target audience of Fox News? ›

The median age of a prime-time viewer was 68 as of 2015. A 2019 Pew Research Center survey showed that among those who named Fox News as their main source for political news, 69% are aged 50 or older. According to a 2013 Gallup poll, 94% of Fox viewers "either identify as or lean Republican".

What is the average age of Newsmax viewers? ›

The average age of a Newsmax online reader is 54.7 years of age.

What percentage of America watches Fox News? ›

During a survey held in the U.S. in spring 2023, 12 percent of respondents stated they watched Fox News every day. Meanwhile, over 30 percent said that they did not watch the channel at all, though Fox News remains the most watched cable news network in the United States.

What is the most trusted news channel in the US? ›

Even with the additions to the group of outlets polled about, The Weather Channel remains the most trusted news source among Americans overall.

Who is the highest rated news program? ›

FOX NEWS CHANNEL OCCUPIES NEARLY ALL OF THE TOP 100 CABLE NEWS TELECASTS THROUGHOUT MAY. NEW YORK – May 29, 2024 – FOX News Channel (FNC) finished the month of May as the highest-rated cable news network, sweeping CNN and MSNBC in all categories during the month of former President Donald Trump's hush money trial.

What is the most watched news channels? ›

FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service and has been the number one network in basic cable for the last eight years and the most-watched television news channel for 22 consecutive years, currently attracting nearly 50% of the cable news viewing audience according to Nielsen Media Research.

What is the #1 news show in America? ›

Fox News swept the top five daily show rankings this year. The Five was the most watched show, averaging 2.89 million viewers, followed by Jesse Watters Primetime with 2.49 million, Hannity with 2.36 million, Special Report with Bret Baier at 2.07 million and The Ingraham Angle with 1.96 million.

How is Gutfeld doing in the rating? ›

Gutfeld! is posting year-over-year viewership growth. Per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data for May 2024 to-date, the program is averaging 2,235,000 total viewers, 276,000 P25-54 and 151,000 P18-49 in the 10 p.

Which nightly news has the highest ratings? ›

Season to date, “World News Tonight” (7.909 million) is ranking No. 1 in Total Viewers for the 7th straight year, based on Most Current Data. “World News Tonight” is leading “NBC Nightly News” (6.708 million) by 1.201 million and “CBS Evening News” (4.737 million) by 3.172 million.

What is the most watched cable news in 2024? ›

Fox News remained the most-watched news network in total day and primetime for April 2024, extending its first place lead to 39 months in primetime and 38 months in total day. The network also took 11 out of the 15 spots in total viewers and all 15 spots in the A25-54 demo.

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