MS NOW & Rachel Maddow Ratings Show Huge Swing: How They Compare with CNN & Fox News

Martin Holmes
9 Comments
Rachel Maddow
MS NOW YouTube

What To Know

  • Rachel Maddow’s show on MS NOW topped the 9 p.m. hour in total viewers beating Sean Hannity.
  • See the latest numbers for MS NOW and CNN  in comparison with Fox News.
  • Plus, which show is the most viewed on cable news.

MS NOW’s Rachel Maddow Show saw a huge ratings boost in the final week of January, surpassing Fox News’ Hannity and landing as the No. 1 program in the 9 p.m. ET hour for Monday night.

According to AdWeek, citing Nielsen big data + panel for the week of January 26, Maddow’s show drew 2.668 million total viewers and 345,000 viewers in the key Adults 25-54 demographic. This was ahead of the Hannity show the same night in total viewers (2.654 million) and over 100,000 viewers more in the demo (244,000). However, Sean Hannity did manage to win the time slot on other nights when he was not up against Rachel Maddow (whose show only airs on Mondays).

Fox News, however, remained the No. 1 news network for the week, averaging 2.565 million total viewers and 245,000 viewers in the demo during primetime. This was up 16 percent in total viewers and up 17 percent in the demo compared to the week before.

The network was also up across total day, averaging 1.661 million total viewers (up 11 percent) and 160,000 demo viewers (up 10 percent).

MS NOW averaged 1.241 million total viewers and 151,000 demo viewers for the week of January 26. This was up 17 percent in total viewers and a whopping 62 percent in the demo compared to the week prior.

The recently rebranded network also saw increases across total day, averaging 756,000 total viewers (up 13 percent) and 88,000 demo viewers (up 35 percent).

CNN, meanwhile, averaged 832,000 total primetime viewers and 169,000 demo viewers for the last week of January. This was up significantly on the week prior, with a 22 percent increase in total viewers and a 37 percent jump in the key demo.

In total day, CNN averaged 590,000 total viewers (up 10 percent) and 105,000 demo viewers (up 9 percent).

The final week of January was dominated by major news headlines, including the fatal shooting of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by ICE agents, the Minneapolis protests, and the expansive winter storm affecting many states across the country.

Compared to the same period last year, both MS NOW and CNN saw increases, while Fox News was down in total viewers and the key demo.

MS NOW was up 5 percent in total viewers and 19 percent in the demo across primetime and up 10 percent in total viewers and 21 percent in the demo across total day. It was the only network to show year-over-year gains in every category.

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CNN increased by 22 percent in total viewers and 4 percent in the demo compared to the same week last year. In total day, the network rose by 10 percent in total viewers but dropped 4 percent in the demo.

Fox News, however, saw an 18 percent decrease in total viewers and a 39 percent decrease in the key demo compared to last year. During total day, the network was down 21 percent in total viewers and 42 percent in the demo.

Despite the drops, Fox News still held 13 out of the top 15 most-watched cable shows of the week, with The Five remaining at the top with 4.010 million viewers. The Rachel Maddow Show ranked No. 7, while fellow MS NOW show The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell ranked No. 14 with 1.567 million total viewers.

HannityThe Five (2011)The Last Word With Lawrence O'DonnellThe Rachel Maddow ShowRachel MaddowSean Hannity



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  1. T

    The wonder

    Keep Colbert , cancel Trump

  2. L

    LINDY1

    Unfortunately, in this current era of sustained Trump madness, polls, reviews, "demos", Nielsen ratings, "panels" - ultimately, reports of ANY kind are no longer trustworthy and we must only take every media attention-grab with a sizeable grain of uncertainty, as well as suspicion.🧐 I doubt there's any media/journalism that does not secretly have personal preferences that affect the slant of its reporting. So, I just would like to urge readers to be cautious about believing what they read, see, or hear just because .... 🤔🫣🫤😳😣🤥 Our Good God, who sees ALL, and in whom we SAY we trust, is the undisputed executive producer & editor-in-chief!! BELIEVE THAT! 😇🙏🏼

  3. S

    steve w

    Ashame fake news gained two new people 😂🤣🤣😂

  4. W

    Wfland

    Wow one day of top ratings they must be so proud

    1. E

      Eja

      Inhumane Trump Pied pipers are still all.a out negativity and hate. So sad

  5. L

    LJM-67chs

    If you can get Youtube, you can usually watch shows right after they originally air.

  6. F

    Fran

    Wouldn't that be great!!

  7. J

    Just me

    I can’t get MSNOW since they moved to Hulu. Hulu requires a cable carrier, I have my own satellite dish connecting to Starlink, there are no cable carriers where I live. Not happy about it but I can listen on my SIRIUSXM app, I just can’t see what the host is talking about. I’m not surprised the rating have gone down.

  8. R

    Rod Cameron

    The US placed 120k people in internment camps during all of WW 2, including 10 camps. 60% were US citizens. Is this the model and precedent used by ice?