Below is a table of the prime time cable news ratings from Monday, October 12 through Friday, October 15. Keep in mind the most important demographic is A25-54.
|
|
Network |
Day |
A25-54 |
A18-49 |
A18-34 |
Total viewers |
|
Hannity |
FOX News |
Thursday |
0.96 |
0.59 |
0.29 |
5.843 |
|
Tucker Carlson Tonight |
FOX News |
Wednesday |
0.89 |
0.57 |
0.31 |
5.854 |
|
The Ingraham Angle |
FOX News |
Thursday |
0.87 |
0.52 |
0.26 |
4.994 |
|
Hannity |
FOX News |
Wednesday |
0.83 |
0.49 |
0.24 |
5.427 |
|
Tucker Carlson Tonight |
FOX News |
Tuesday |
0.82 |
0.48 |
0.24 |
5.159 |
|
CNN Tonight (10pm) |
CNN |
Thursday |
0.76 |
0.53 |
0.24 |
2.905 |
|
Hannity |
FOX News |
Tuesday |
0.74 |
0.43 |
0.18 |
5.326 |
|
Tucker Carlson Tonight |
FOX News |
Monday |
0.73 |
0.45 |
0.25 |
5.129 |
|
The Ingraham Angle |
FOX News |
Wednesday |
0.71 |
0.40 |
0.18 |
4.661 |
|
The Story with Martha MacCallum |
FOX News |
Thursday |
0.68 |
0.39 |
0.16 |
3.899 |
|
Tucker Carlson Tonight |
FOX News |
Thursday |
0.66 |
0.41 |
0.23 |
4.394 |
|
The Ingraham Angle |
FOX News |
Tuesday |
0.64 |
0.39 |
0.21 |
4.527 |
|
The Story with Martha MacCallum |
FOX News |
Wednesday |
0.61 |
0.36 |
0.17 |
3.957 |
|
Hannity |
FOX News |
Monday |
0.57 |
0.36 |
0.18 |
4.367 |
|
Rachel Maddow Show |
MSNBC |
Thursday |
0.56 |
0.33 |
0.16 |
3.596 |
|
The Ingraham Angle |
FOX News |
Monday |
0.55 |
0.33 |
0.17 |
3.782 |
|
Cuomo Prime Time (9pm) |
CNN |
Thursday |
0.54 |
0.37 |
0.20 |
2.304 |
|
Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell |
MSNBC |
Thursday |
0.54 |
0.31 |
0.12 |
3.195 |
|
Rachel Maddow Show |
MSNBC |
Tuesday |
0.53 |
0.30 |
0.12 |
3.609 |
|
The Story with Martha MacCallum |
FOX News |
Monday |
0.52 |
0.32 |
0.14 |
3.586 |
|
The Story with Martha MacCallum |
FOX News |
Tuesday |
0.50 |
0.31 |
0.13 |
3.448 |
|
Rachel Maddow Show |
MSNBC |
Wednesday |
0.49 |
0.27 |
0.11 |
3.797 |
|
Cuomo Prime Time |
CNN |
Wednesday |
0.47 |
0.29 |
0.13 |
2.291 |
|
Anderson Cooper 360 |
CNN |
Wednesday |
0.46 |
0.28 |
0.12 |
2.126 |
|
Rachel Maddow Show |
MSNBC |
Monday |
0.46 |
0.27 |
0.15 |
3.394 |
|
Erin Burnett OutFront |
CNN |
Thursday |
0.43 |
0.28 |
0.12 |
1.817 |
|
CNN Tonight (10pm) |
CNN |
Wednesday |
0.43 |
0.27 |
0.14 |
1.907 |
|
Cuomo Prime Time |
CNN |
Monday |
0.43 |
0.27 |
0.11 |
2.068 |
|
Cuomo Prime Time |
CNN |
Tuesday |
0.42 |
0.27 |
0.14 |
2.137 |
|
Anderson Cooper 360 |
CNN |
Monday |
0.42 |
0.27 |
0.11 |
1.963 |
|
CNN Tonight (10pm) |
CNN |
Tuesday |
0.41 |
0.28 |
0.11 |
1.702 |
|
CNN Tonight (10pm) |
CNN |
Monday |
0.41 |
0.25 |
0.12 |
1.724 |
|
Erin Burnett OutFront |
CNN |
Tuesday |
0.39 |
0.25 |
0.12 |
1.855 |
|
Anderson Cooper 360 |
CNN |
Tuesday |
0.39 |
0.25 |
0.11 |
1.851 |
|
Erin Burnett OutFront |
CNN |
Wednesday |
0.37 |
0.23 |
0.13 |
1.687 |
|
Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell |
MSNBC |
Wednesday |
0.37 |
0.21 |
0.08 |
2.840 |
|
2020 Trump Town Hall |
MSNBC |
Thursday |
0.36 |
0.22 |
0.13 |
1.831 |
|
Erin Burnett OutFront |
CNN |
Monday |
0.35 |
0.22 |
0.09 |
1.767 |
|
Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell |
MSNBC |
Tuesday |
0.34 |
0.20 |
0.06 |
2.871 |
|
Anderson Cooper 360 |
CNN |
Thursday |
0.31 |
0.21 |
0.06 |
1.484 |
|
All In with Chris Hayes |
MSNBC |
Wednesday |
0.31 |
0.19 |
0.06 |
2.434 |
|
The ReidOut |
MSNBC |
Tuesday |
0.31 |
0.18 |
0.10 |
2.330 |
|
The ReidOut |
MSNBC |
Thursday |
0.29 |
0.17 |
0.06 |
2.107 |
|
Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell |
MSNBC |
Monday |
— |
0.18 |
— |
1.975 |
|
All In with Chris Hayes |
MSNBC |
Tuesday |
— |
0.16 |
— |
2.209 |
|
The ReidOut |
MSNBC |
Wednesday |
— |
0.16 |
— |
2.108 |
|
All In with Chris Hayes |
MSNBC |
Monday |
— |
0.15 |
— |
2.109 |
|
The ReidOut |
MSNBC |
Monday |
— |
0.14 |
— |
2.569 |
FOX News had an outstanding week, with many airings receiving ratings competitive with scripted programs on broadcast television. Additionally, they were often some of the highest-rated programs on cable each night, trailing the MLB playoffs in some key demos. Generally speaking, FOX News fared better in all key demos than CNN and MSNBC did, continuing their streak as the #1 cable news channel as the election nears.
MSNBC aired a simulcast of President Trump’s Town Hall on Thursday. While it fared better than the regular time slot occupant had earlier in the week, viewership numbers indicate that viewers do not turn to MSNBC to watch Trump if they have other options. It was the least-watched prime time program of MSNBC’s week. Meanwhile, CNN saw more mixed results, with Don Lemon’s CNN Tonight easily leading the network’s week on Thursday.
As the election nears, it is time to take another look at the relation between total viewers of prime time shows, and where the polls and betting odds stand between Trump and Biden:
|
Network |
FOX News |
CNN |
MSNBC |
|
October 5 - October 8 |
4.60 |
2.84 |
3.32 |
|
October 12 - October 15 |
4.64 |
1.97 |
2.67 |
|
|
National Average |
Battleground States |
Betting Odds |
|
October 8 |
Biden +9.7 |
Biden +4.6 |
Biden +29.4 |
|
October 15 |
Biden +9.4 |
Biden +4.8 |
Biden +29.8 |