Week of December 30 Cable News Ratings: Fox News Leads, but CNN Enjoys a Great Week

These are TVNewser’s basic cable network rankings and cable news reporting for the week of December 30, 2024.

Cable news networks showed some life during the holiday season, as coverage of New Year’s Eve and two current events led to an increase in viewership from the previous week, which included the Christmas holidays.

Former president Jimmy Carterit happens Sunday December 29And the early morning terrorist attack in New Orleans New Year’s Day likely generated additional viewership during what is typically a slow news period.

Fox News continued to dominate, accounting for more than 60% of the cable news audience. Meanwhile, CNN landed in second place in total viewers and remained the second most-watched network in the advertiser-coveted Adults 25-54 demo.

NETWORKS:

Nielsen live and same-day data for the week of December 30 saw FNC average 1.728 million total viewers and 198,000 A25-54 viewers in primetime. The network is up +31% in the first category and +38% in the second compared to the previous week (the week of December 23).

In total, Fox News averaged 1.342 million viewers and 171,000 A25-54 viewers, for weekly gains of +20% and +26%, respectively.

Among all basic cable networks, Fox News finished in second place in total primetime viewers and landed in third place in the primetime demo. It finished second in total viewers and A25-54 viewers during the total day.

MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 445,000 total viewers and 38,000 A25-54 viewers for the week. This translates to weekly gains of +17% and +15%, respectively.

During the total day, MSNBC averaged 390,000 total viewers and 37,000 A25-54 viewers. The network benefited from a gain of +24% in the first category and +32% in the second compared to the previous week.

Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC ranked ninth in total primetime viewers and was tied for 37th in the primetime demo, with GSN and Travel Channel. During the total day, the network was fifth in total viewers and 30th in the demo, tied with Disney Channel.

CNN had a great week in primetime, averaging 519,000 total viewers and 126,000 A25-54 viewers. The network saw substantial gains of +87% and +186%, respectively, from the previous week.

During the total day, CNN saw 396,000 total viewers and 81,000 viewers in the demo, representing gains of +47% in the former category and +93% in the latter. CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage, including its prime-time show featuring Anderson Cooper And Andy Cohen…certainly inflated these numbers. It will be interesting to see if it can maintain some of this momentum between now and 2025.

Compared to all cable networks, CNN was seventh in total viewers and eighth in the primetime demo. Across the day, CNN finished fourth in total viewers and sixth in the demo.

When we look at the performance of these networks during the same period a year ago (the week of January 1st):

In prime time, Fox News grew +5% in total viewership and +21% in the A25-54 demo. During the total day, the channel also saw gains of +18% in total viewers and +33% in the demo. MSNBC saw a -49% decline in total viewers and -51% in the demo. During the total day, the network saw a -42% decline in total viewers and -40% in the demo. CNN fell -4% in total viewership and was up +18% in the primetime demo. For the day as a whole, CNN saw a -14% decline in total viewers and a -4% decline in the demo.

PROGRAMMING:

Fox News took 14 of the 15 spots for the week’s most-watched cable news shows in total viewers, with The Five (2.923 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) remaining in the lead. MSNBC Deadline: The White House with Nicole Wallace (749,000 viewers at 5 p.m. ET) finished in 15th place with 749,000 viewers.

The Five (305,000 viewers at 5 p.m. ET) was also the top show in the A25-54 demo, with the network occupying all 15 spots in that ranking.

Prime time

Fox News MSNBC CNN • Total number of viewers: 1,728,000 445,000 519,000 • A25-54: 198,000 38,000 126,000

Total day

Fox News MSNBC CNN • Total number of viewers: 1,342,000 390,000 396,000 • A25-54: 171,000 37,000 81,000

Week 12-30-24 Cable classification by Advertising week on Scribd