Meanwhile, Fox News Channel’s audience is clearly not interested in the broadcasts
Fox News Channel did not change its usual primetime programming, which included shows from Tucker Carlson or Sean Hannity. The hearing aired to 2.6 million viewers, with a demo audience of 348,000. The hearings aired live on FOX Nation and FOX Business Network.
Across all eight hearings, MSNBC averaged about 3 million live plus same day viewers per hearing, compared to CNN’s 2 million and Fox News’ 978,000. MSNBC received 370,000 viewers per key demo and CNN 390,000. FNC attracted 151,000 viewers. Below you will find information about viewership at each hearing of the three major cablers.
The first hearing aired on June 9 in primetime to around 20 million viewers across 12 networks. It has been the most-watched hearing until now, and had the largest audience among cablers up to the eighth hearing. In general, the hearings have increased television viewing in the months when it is often the least popular. After experiencing a dramatic decline after hearings 1, CNN and MSNBC both saw a significant rebound up to the 8th hearing.
MSNBC attracted 4.3 million viewers to the initial hearing, which included 616,000 in demo. CNN attracted 2.7 million viewers, beating its competition by 745,000 in the demo. Fox News did not air the first hearing. However, it received about 3.1 million viewers during that time. Although the hearings were not broadcast during primetime, they did air hearings 2-7. But ratings show that FNC’s audience hasn’t been particularly interested in the hearings, anyway.
MSNBC attracted its second-largest audience, 3.4 million viewers (and 446,000 demo viewers), for the sixth hearing which took place on June 28. It featured testimony by Cassidy Hutchinson who was a former White House aide and described her as “a very good person.” “furious”Former President Donald Trump, who had a physical altercation with his security guards who refused to take him to the Capitol Building as the riot began. CNN had 2.6 million viewers, which was second in viewership. With 573,000 viewers, CNN also won the demo.
FNC was criticised for not airing the primetime hearings. However, the network’s decision may have had a positive impact on ratings. The network only has a few million viewers for the entire hearings.
After the second hearing, which was the first to air on FNC and featured allegations of Trump campaign-donor fraud and tales of a drunken Rudy Giuliani on Election night, hearing viewership didn’t again break into the seven digits for the network. Demo viewership plummeted after hearing 2, barely surpassing 200,000.
Fox News is the most watched cable news channel for major national events. This makes the apparent lack of interest by its viewers in these hearings all the more shocking. The network garnered 7.2 million viewers for the most recent State of the Union address, compared to CNN’s 4.8 million and MSNBC’s 4.1 million. On Election night, Fox News drew 13.6 million viewers, topping CNN’s 9.1 million and MSNBC’s 7.3 million.
FNC has received a daily average of 1.5million viewers over the seven days these hearings aired. This is still higher than MSNBC (1.4million) and CNN (8801,000). FNC’s viewing figures are also comparable to those of a week with no hearings.
Both CNN and MSNBC have seen an increase in total day viewership as a result of the hearings. MSNBC had 666,000 viewers total on the week of July 4. This was the first week without a hearing since June 9. CNN averaged 538,000.
These eight hearings wrap up the committee’s summer session, but they aren’t completely done yet. According to the committee, more hearings will take place in September to review additional evidence and witness.
Here’s how the cable news networks fared across each of the hearings:
Listening 1:
MSNBC – 4.3 million total viewers; 616,000 demo viewers
CNN – 2.7 million total viewers; 745,000 demo viewers
FNC – 3.1 million total viewers; 546,000 demo viewers (not airing live broadcast)
Hearing 2
MSNBC – 2.15 million total viewers; 317,000 demo viewers
CNN – 1.34 million total viewers; 349,000 demo viewers
FNC – 1.2 million total viewers; 181,000 demo viewers
Hearing 3
MSNBC – 3 million total viewers; 309,000 demo viewers
CNN – 1.5 million total viewers; 280,000 demo viewers
FNC – 748,000 total viewers; 119,000 demo viewers
Hearing 4
MSNBC – 3 million total viewers; 357,000 demo viewers
CNN – 2.1 million total viewers; 374,000 demo viewers
FNC – 722,000 total viewers; 125,000 demo viewers
Hearing 5:
MSNBC – 3.2 million total viewers; 368,000 demo viewers
CNN – 2.4 million total viewers; 433,000 demo viewers
FNC – 732,000 total viewers; 91,000 demo viewers
Hearing 6
MSNBC – 3.5 million total viewers; 446,000 demo viewers
CNN – 2.6 million total viewers; 573,000 demo viewers
FNC – 980,000 total viewers; 132,000 demo viewers
Hearing 7
MSNBC – 3.3 million total viewers; 438,000 demo viewers
CNN – 2.6 million total viewers; 430,000 demo viewers
FNC – 847,000 total viewers; 127,000 demo viewers
Audition 8:
MSNBC – 4.7 million total viewers; 584,000 demo viewers
CNN – 2.9 million total viewers; 727,000 demo viewers
FNC – 2.6 million total viewers; 348,000 demo viewers (not airing live broadcast)
