Media top headlines December 21
In media news today, a Manchin confidant says the Biden White House’s incivility was the last straw on Build Back Better, Jen Psaki suggests Biden won’t answer questions after Tuesday’s COVID speech, and the White House gets ripped for doomsday winter message of ‘sever illness and death’ for the unvaccinated.
Fox News Channel was the top-rated network in all of basic cable with total day and primetime viewers during the week of December 13-19.
It was the 18th straight week Fox News defeated CNN and MSNBC combined in all categories. For the week, Fox News secured 62 of the top 100 cable telecasts. In primetime, Fox News earned 2,240,000 viewers, 336,000 among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults age 25-54 demo, and 212,000 in the 18-49 demo in primetime.
![Fox News Channel defeated CNN and MSNBC across the board for the 18th straight week.](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2021/09/1200/675/Fox-News-6th-Ave-3.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Fox News Channel defeated CNN and MSNBC across the board for the 18th straight week. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
In total day, Fox News continued to dominate cable television, securing 1,379,000 viewers and 213,000 in the 25-54 demo and 135,000 with the 18-49 demo. Fox News also averaged nine of the top 10 cable news shows with total viewers and 14 of the top 15 cable news shows with the 25-54 demo. In primetime, Fox News secured 53% of the cable news share with total viewers and 53% share with viewers in total day.
![Fox News host Tucker Carlson.](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2021/11/1200/675/cb249143-Untitled-2-copy.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
FOX NEWS TOPS BASIC CABLE AS SCANDAL HAUNTS CNN AND MSNBC STRUGGLES IN ADVERTISER-COVETED DEMO
Individual show successes spotlight the channel's across-the-board popularity.
"The Five" was the most-watched cable news program of the week with an average of 3,191,000 viewers. "Tucker Carlson Tonight" was the top cable news show with 481,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo and 302,000 viewers in the 18-49 demo, securing 3,114,000 total viewers for the week. "Hannity" was third in cable news with 2,628,000 total viewers. "Special Report" was the fourth-most watched show in cable news with 2,281,000 viewers.
Fox News' repeat of "FOX News Sunday," anchored by Bret Baier, was up double digits with total viewers week over week. The program delivered 843,000 viewers and 107,000 with ages 25-54, topping every show on CNN and MSNBC on Sunday with the same demo. On Sunday's program, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., made his bombshell announcement that he would oppose President Biden's Build Back Better bill.
Fox late-night show "Gutfeld!" averaged 1,892,000 viewers, defeating "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
![The staff of "Gutfeld!"](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2021/12/1200/675/gutfeld-full-staff-taken-for-us.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
The staff of "Gutfeld!"
CNN TERMINATES CHRIS CUOMO ‘EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY’
"FOX & Friends" netted 1,316,000 million viewers and 209,000 in the 25-54 demo, marking the 39th straight week it has topped cable news competition in the mornings across all categories. CNN’s "New Day" continued to struggle, however, posting its worst week of the entire year with 359,000 viewers in the category and 58,000 with ages 25-54. MSNBC’s "Morning Joe" had 845,000 viewers and 90,000 in the 25-54 demo.
CNN and MSNBC saw a number of lows for the week. In total day, the former network secured 99,000 viewers with ages 25-54, which was its second-lowest of the year. "New Day" averaged 58,000 viewers in the same demo, the lowest the show has seen since May 2014. MSNBC's "The 11th Hour" also had its lowest-rated 25-54 demo ever following the recent departure of Brian Williams.
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CNN and MSNBC also lost to the Hallmark Channel in total day and primetime with total viewers.