Week of November 4 Cable News Ratings: Election Week Boosts Fox News to Best Performance Since 2020

This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of November 4, 2024. President-elect Donald Trump's defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election was certainly good news for Fox News. The network finished Election Week as the No. 1 television outlet during primetime in total viewers, even surpassing the broadcast networks. Overall, FNC enjoyed its best week since 2020. Fox News dominated Election Night coverage and was the most-watched network during the vice president’s concession speech, with over 7 million total viewers tuning in. All three cable networks performed better than the previous week in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 audience, with triple digit gains in that advertiser-coveted demo during primetime. But MSNBC and CNN suffered significant viewer erosion as the week continued, whereas Fox News continued its winning ways. NETWORKS: Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of November 4 saw Fox News averaging 4.313 million total viewers and 872,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was up by +57% in the former category and +149% in the latter relative to the week prior. Across total day, FNC averaged 2.616 million total viewers and 472,000 A25-54 viewers for week-to-week gains of +54% and +109%, respectively. Among all basic cable networks, Fox News remained at No. 1 in total primetime viewers and No. 2 in the primetime demo behind ESPN. In total day, it finished first with total viewers and the demo. MSNBC's primetime lineup averaged 1.578 million total viewers and 356,000 A25-54 viewers for week-to-week gains of +11% and +120%, respectively. During total day, MSNBC averaged 967,000 total viewers and 170,000 A25-54 viewers. That translates to a flat result in the former category, and a +56% gain in the latter. MSNBC was the only network not to see an increase in total viewers during total day. Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC finished in third place in total primetime viewers and jumped up one spot from fifth to fourth place in the demo. During total day, it was the No. 2 network in total viewers and remained at No. 4 in the demo. CNN averaged 1.223 million total primetime viewers and 434,000 A25-54 viewers for week-to-week gains of +53% and +140%, respectively. Across total day, the network saw 720,000 total viewers and 215,000 A25-54 viewers in the demo for gains of +30% and +95%, respectively. Notable: CNN finished ahead of MSNBC with A25-54 viewers in both primetime and total day. On the basic cable charts, CNN placed fourth with primetime total viewers and finished third in the primetime demo. In total day, the network was No. 4 with total viewers behind third place ESPN and No. 3 in the demo. Looking at these networks’ performance compared to the same period in 2023 (the week of Nov. 6): During primetime, Fox News was up by +130% in total viewers and +279% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network saw gains of +107% in total viewers and +203% in the demo. MSNBC was up +17% in total viewers and +152% in the demo. During total day, the network was up +7% in total viewers and +77% in the demo. In primetime, CNN rose by +79% in total viewers and +157% in the demo. During total day, CNN was up by +35% in total viewers and +105% in the demo. PROGRAMMING: Fox News had 14 of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with The Five (5.260 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) remaining in the top spot. MSNBC's Deadline: White House with Nicole Wallace (1.769 million viewers at 4 p.m. ET) landed at No. 15. Those standings repeated themselves in the A25-54 demo with The Five (726,000 viewers at 5 p.m. ET) taking No. 1 and Deadline: White House (246,000 viewers at 4 p.m. ET) claiming No. 15. FNC had 14 out of the 15 top shows overall. Week of November, 4 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen Live+SD data): PRIMETIMEFox NewsMSNBCCNN• Total Viewers:4,313,0001,578,0001,223,000• A25-54:872,000356,000434,000 TOTAL DAYFox NewsMSNBCCNN• Total Viewers:2,616,000967,000720,000• A25-54:472,000170,000215,000 Week of 11-4-24 Cable Ranker by Adweek on Scribd

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Week of November 4 Cable News Ratings: Election Week Boosts Fox News to Best Performance Since 2020

MSNBC and CNN saw big numbers on Election Night, but lost viewers afterwards

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