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Fox News Channel finished August 2022 as the most-watched cable network among both total day and primetime viewers, crushing CNN and MSNBC combined in a variety of critical measurables as "Gutfeld!" made history.
Fox News averaged 1.5 million total viewers, compared to 804,000 for MSNBC and only 561,000 for struggling CNN. Fox News also beat them combined among the key demographic of adults age 25-54, averaging 211,000 compared to 110,000 for CNN and a dismal 89,000 for MSNBC.
FNC also dominated the primetime hours of 8-11 p.m., averaging 2.3 million total viewers compared to 1.3 million for MSNBC and only 733,000 for CNN. It was much of the same among the advertiser-coveted demo, where Fox News averaged more than 300,000 compared to only 153,000 for CNN and 134,000 for MSNBC.
"Gutfeld!" made television history, becoming the first late-night cable program to finish the month as the most-watched late-night show in all of broadcast and cable for the month of August. (FOX)
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Fox News was the third most-watched network in all of television during weekday primetime, outpacing ABC and trailing only CBS and NBC.
However, the most popular program on the network airs well before the primetime hours that traditionally dominate viewership.
"The Five" averaged 3.4 million viewers to finish August as the most-watched program on cable news as Fox News was home to 11 of the 12 highest-rated shows. It was the fifth straight month that "The Five" finished as cable news’ most-popular show.
"Tucker Carlson Tonight" averaged 3.3 million viewers to finish second, followed by "Hannity" and "Jesse Watters Primetime."
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The only non-Fox News program to crack the top 12 was MSNBC’s "The Rachel Maddow Show," which only airs on Monday nights despite the host’s roughly $30 million annual salary. Maddow’s once-a-week program averaged 2.7 million viewers to finish fifth, but it only aired four times the entire month.
"The Five" averaged 3.4 million viewers to finish August as the most-watched program on cable news as Fox News was home to 11 of the 12 highest-rated shows. (FOX)
"The Ingraham Angle," "Special Report with Bret Baier," "Gutfeld!," "Outnumbered," "The Faulkner Focus," "America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino" and "Your World with Neil Cavuto" rounded out the top dozen.
"Gutfeld!" finished as the first late-night cable program to finish an entire month as the most-watched late-night show on television, outpacing CBS’ "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in the process. Greg Gutfeld’s historic month marked the first time Colbert didn’t win the late-night crown since January 2017.
CNN’s most-watched program was "Anderson Cooper 360," which averaged 950,000 viewers to finish No. 25 in cable news. Despite being CNN’s most-popular show, "AC 360" finished behind 15 Fox News and nine MSNBC offerings.
CNN’s struggles continued as "Don Lemon Tonight" averaged only 660,000 viewers to rank No. 40 among cable news programs despite its cushy primetime slot. The soon-to-be "re-imagined" morning program "New Day" managed only 396,000 average viewers to rank as the 42nd most-watched cable news program during the news-heavy month.
By comparison, "FOX & Friends" averaged 1.3 million viewers to beat anything CNN had to offer during August.
A variety of Fox News daytime programs crushed viewership for CNN’s most popular primetime programs. (Fox News)
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"Unfiltered with Dan Bongino" finished with the most cable news viewers on Saturdays, averaging 1.4 million, while "Life, Liberty and Levin" took the Sunday crown with 1.9 million average viewers.
"Tucker" was the most-watched show among the critical 25-54 demo, averaging 486,000 viewers followed by "The Five," "Hannity," "Gutfeld!" and The Ingraham Angle."
All ratings data courtesy of Nielsen Media Research.
Fox News’ Nikolas Lanum contributed to this report.
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