The latest cable news network ratings showed significant gains across the board as coverage of Charlie Kirk‘s assassination dominated the airwaves on MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, and beyond.
According to AdWeek, citing Nielsen’s ratings for the week of September 8, Fox News averaged 3.061 million total viewers and 418,000 viewers in the key Adults 25-54 demo during primetime. This was up a massive 55% in total viewers and 155% in the demo compared to the week before.
In total day, Fox News averaged 1.814 million total viewers and 235,000 demo viewers. This was up 41% in total viewers and 99% in the key demo.
Fox News also held 14 out of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with The Five remaining at the top with 4.431 million total viewers at 5 pm ET. The network’s special, Charlie Kirk: An American Original, hosted by Jesse Watters, was seen by 2 million total viewers and 216,000 in the demo on Saturday (September 20), making it the top program of the day.
MSNBC averaged 867,000 total viewers and 75,000 demo viewers in primetime for the week of September 8. This was up 30% in total viewers and 29% in the demo compared to the week prior.
The network was also up in total day, with an average of 538,000 total viewers (up 15% on the week before) and 49,000 demo viewers (up 32% on the week prior).
MSNBC had the only non-Fox News show in the Top 15, with The Rachel Maddow Show at 9 pm ET on Monday (September 8) landing in the No. 13 position with 1.853 million total viewers.
CNN, meanwhile, averaged 615,000 total primetime viewers and 112,000 in the key demo. This was up 36% in total viewers and 81% in the demo compared to the week before.
In total day, CNN averaged 435,000 total viewers (up 19% on the previous week) and 75,000 viewers in the demo (up 39% compared to the week prior).
It was also a strong week for NewsNation, which increased its viewership and outperformed certain shows on MSNBC and CNN. Per AdWeek, NewsNation Prime at 7 pm had 34,000 demo viewers, more than CNN Newsroom, which had 29,000 demo viewers.
In addition, NewsNation’s Special Report at 8 pm ET, hosted by Brian Entin, outperformed both MSNBC’s The Weekend Primetime and CNN’s Real Time with Bill Maher in the key demo. NewsNation had 44,000 demo viewers over MSNBC’s 32,000 and CNN’s 38,000.
The network also had higher demo averages at 10 pm ET, with 32,000 compared to CNN’s 22,000, and at 11 pm ET, with its Special Report bringing in 29,000 demo viewers compared to MSNBC’s 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle‘s 18,000 demo viewers.
This story originally appeared on TV Insider
