Fox News ended the month of June at the top of the primetime and total day ratings as the network dealt with a slew of changes and departures from longtime hosts. While FOX has experienced a dip in the ratings with many programs, “The Five” continues to dominate as it remains the most popular show on the network.
“The news network wrested the top spot in primetime from last week’s winner, ESPN, with an average of 1.4 million viewers from June 26 to July 2, according to Nielsen figures supplied by Fox News. MSNBC, which topped the primetime chart during the week of June 5, finished second with 1.1 million viewers, followed by ESPN with 1 million viewers,” MSN reported.
“HGTV was fourth for the week with 785,000 viewers, followed by INSP with 768,000 viewers. USA Network pulled into sixth place with 661,000 viewers, followed by History (645,000 viewers), Hallmark Channel and TLC (tied with 622,000), and CNN (571,000). The cable news networks topped the total day chart, led by Fox News’s 25th straight consecutive win with 1 million viewers, followed by MSNBC (784,000 viewers) and CNN (457,000). HGTV (432,000 viewers) and ESPN (427,000) rounded out the top five most watched networks in the category,” the outlet added.
The hit show “The Five” continues to crush all cable news programs in the ratings.
“The Five” was the most-watched program in cable news during the second quarter of 2023, averaging a whopping 2.8 million total viewers to finish as the most-watched show for the seventh-straight quarter. The popular program is now the first non-primetime program to finish No. 1 among cable news for seven consecutive quarters in history.
“The Five also finished atop the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults aged 25-54, averaging 299,000 demo viewers to outdraw everything CNN or MSNBC had to offer regardless of timeslot. While The Five averaged 2.8 million total viewers, CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper managed an average audience of only 676,000 during the quarter despite airing in the same timeslot,” Fox News reported.
“Fox News Channel beat CNN and MSNBC among both total day and primetime viewers in all categories for the ninth consecutive quarter. Fox News has dominated among primetime cable news viewers for a staggering 86-straight quarters. Along the way, Fox News was home to the top seven programs in cable news among total viewers and the top eight among the demo,” the outlet added.
“Jesse Watters Primetime” finished as the second highest-rated cable news program with 2.3 million average total viewers. “Hannity,” “Special Report with Bret Baier” and “The Ingraham Angle” joined “The Five” and “Watters” among the top five as Laura Ingraham remained the most-watched female cable news host.
“FOX News Channel has been America’s destination for news and analysis for more than 21 years and we are thrilled to debut a new lineup. The unique perspectives of Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, and Greg Gutfeld will ensure our viewers have access to unrivaled coverage from our best-in-class team for years to come,” FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott announced.
“The Five” has undergone a massive shake-up in recent days.
As longtime host Geraldo Rivera is gona from the program, Fox News recently announced its brand new prime-time lineup on Monday and revealed who will be taking over Tucker Carlson’s old time slot.
In a press release, the network revealed that Jesse Watters will take the 8 p.m. slot, directly replacing Carlson. Laura Ingraham will move from 10 p.m. to 7 p.m., Sean Hannity will stay at 9 p.m. and Greg Gutfeld will move to 10 p.m. Longtime news anchor Trace Gallagher will move up to 11 p.m.
“A rotating cast of hosts stepped in to replace Carlson after he was abruptly fired from Fox News one week after it reached a $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over the airing of 2020 election lies. The ratings dipped significantly from the Carlson era, who in his seven years helming Tucker Carlson Tonight emerged as a controversial but popular host at the network,” Mediaite reported.
“Watters joined Fox News two decades ago, working his way up from production assistant to on-air commentator on Bill O’Reilly’s hit prime-time show. In recent years, he has become one of the most-watched personalities on the network, as co-host of the top-rated show The Five and solo host of his own program Watters’ World, which debuted in the 7 p.m. slot in 2022,” the outlet added. “Perhaps the biggest shake-up is moving the top-rated late-night show, Gutfeld! from 11 PM to an hour earlier.”
Since being taken off the air, Carlson has begun posting short monologues to Twitter, which Fox says is a violation of his contract.
The network has sent him a cease-and-desist letter, though so far, he has refused to do so, arguing that Fox violates their contract with him.