Fox News Humbles Chris Wallace, Calls Out CNN Host For Having ‘Lowest Rated Month Since Launch With Double-Digit Declines”

Fox News had another great month in the all-important ratings battle landing 99 of the Top 100 Cable News Telecasts in January. The proud network issued a statement congratulating all its stars and used the great news to take a swipe at CNN host Chris Wallace.

Fox easily beat CNN and MSNBC and it wasn’t even close. Fox finished with 54% of cable news viewers across primetime and 53% in total day, Fox continued to deliver over half the genre’s audience share.

According to Nielsen MRI-Simmons Fusion, Fox News was the most-watched network across the political spectrum with more Independents and Democrats choosing FNC as their preferred network than MSNBC and CNN in total day and primetime viewers in the A25-54 demo. 

Fox News’ domination was so complete they were number one in cable news with Asian viewers in total day and Hispanic viewers in primetime. The Five continued to make history.

For the tenth consecutive month it was the most-watched program on cable news. Tucker Carlson Tonight continued to dominate in the advertiser-coveted 25-54 demo.

Jesse Watter, Sean Hannity, Fox and Friends, and nearly every Fox show crushed the competition in January.

Gutfeld beat ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Fox and Friends beat CNN This Morning and MSNBC’s Morning Joe combined across both categories.

Besides the ratings win, someone in the Fox PR department added the cherry on top writing: “CNN’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? saw its lowest-rated month since launch with total viewers as the show begins its second season seeing double-digit declines on Sunday at 7 PM/ET.”

Ouch.

According to Fox News:

“FNC’s late afternoon offering The Five continued as the number one rated show with viewers for the tenth consecutive month and has finished first in cable news for the last 13 out of 14 months.

“The roundtable program averaged 3.4 million viewers, 379,000 with 25-54 demo and 239,000 in the 18-49 demo, outpacing every show on CNN and MSNBC across the board. 

“At 8 PM/ET, Tucker Carlson Tonight continued as the highest-rated program in cable news in the younger 25-54 and 18-49 demos, averaging 3.2 million viewers and 448,000 in the 25-54 demo, as well as 300,000 in the 18-49 category throughout January.

“Hannity at 9 PM/ET scored 2.6 million viewers, 307,000 in the 25-54 demo and 196,000 among adults 18-49, achieving the fourth most-watched program in all categories and outpacing the competition on MSNBC and CNN combined with total viewers.

“Comparatively, CNN averaged just 695,000 viewers and 164,000 with A25-54 at 9 PM. At 10 PM/ET, The Ingraham Angle garnered 2.1 million viewers, 280,000 in the 25-54 demo and 177,000 in 18-49 continuing her streak as the most-watched female in cable news.

“America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET), delivered 1.6 million viewers and 203,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 1.6 million viewers and 214,000 in the 25-54 demo and bested CNN and MSNBC across the board.

“At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 1.7 million viewers and 218,000 in the 25-54 demo. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1.5 million viewers and 199,000 in the 25-54 demo.

“At 3 PM/ET, anchor and executive editor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.5 million viewers and 195,000 in the 25-54 demo, while Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET nabbed 1.6 million viewers and 207,000 in the 25-54 category for the month.

JANUARY 2023 VS. JANUARY 2022 NIELSEN NUMBERS (seven day week, L+SD):

TOTAL DAY

FNC: 1,349,000 total viewers – down 4% (173,000 in 25-54 – down 23%)

CNN: 524,000 total viewers – up 7% (107,000 in 25-54 – up 7%)

MSNBC: 703,000 total viewers – up 7% (78,000 in 25-54 – up 5%)

PRIMETIME

FNC: 1,945,000 total viewers – down 13% (239,000 in 25-54- down 29%)

CNN: 629,000 total viewers – down 1% (144,000 in 25-54 – up 3%)

MSNBC: 1,047,000 total viewers – down 9% (109,000 in 25-54 – down 16%)