When news of Qhaddafi’s capture broke in the morning hours, FOX News Channel's FOX & Friends beat American Morning and Morning Joe combined in both total viewers and adults 25-54. FOX & Friends’ 25-54 demo from 6-9am (358,000) was higher than CNN’s total viewers (307,000) and Morning Joe’s total viewers (357,000).
Update: an earlier version of this post had the wrong 6a-9a data in the table below, I apologize for any inconvenience.
Live + Same Day Cable News Daily Ratings for October 20, 2011
| P2+ (000s) | 25-54 (000s) | 35-64 (000s) | ||
| Total Day | ||||
| FNC | 1,229 | 308 | 583 | |
| CNN | 610 | 185 | 285 | |
| MSNBC | 493 | 131 | 233 | |
| CNBC | 183 | 55 | 102 | |
| FBN | 76 | 14 | 40 | |
| HLN | 339 | 114 | 187 | |
| Primetime | P2+ (000s) | 25-54 (000s) | 35-64 (000s) | |
| FNC | 2,167 | 443 | 894 | |
| CNN | 819 | 294 | 400 | |
| MSNBC | 971 | 249 | 469 | |
| CNBC | 147 | 58 | 68 | |
| FBN | 62 | 21 | 39 | |
| HLN | 600 | 178 | 298 | |
| Net | Morning programs (6-9 AM) | P2+ (000s) | 25-54 (000s) | 35-64 (000s) |
| FNC | FOX & Friends | 1,111 | 358 | 673 |
| CNN | American Morning | 307 | 113 | 159 |
| MSNBC | Morning Joe | 357 | 130 | 184 |
| CNBC | Squawk Box | 180 | 91 | 124 |
| HLN | Morning Express w/ Meade | 246 | 100 | 173 |
| Net | 5PM | P2+ (000s) | 25-54 (000s) | 35-64 (000s) |
| FNC | FIVE, THE | 1,431 | 307 | 684 |
| CNN | Situation Room | 965 | 187 | 380 |
| MSNBC | HARDBALL WITH C. MATTHEWS | 906 | 168 | 332 |
| CNBC | FAST MONEY | 223 | 41 | 120 |
| HLN | HLN SPECIAL REPORT | 560 | 168 | 307 |
| Net | 6PM | P2+ (000s) | 25-54 (000s) | 35-64 (000s) |
| FNC | SPECIAL RPT W/BRET BAIER | 1,952 | 445 | 830 |
| CNN | John King USA | 854 | 215 | 377 |
| MSNBC | POLITICS NATION | 762 | 153 | 311 |
| CNBC | Mad Money | 194 | 40 | 113 |
| HLN | Prime News | 571 | 156 | 337 |
| Net | 7PM | P2+ (000s) | 25-54 (000s) | 35-64 (000s) |
| FNC | The Fox Report W/S.SMITH | 1,801 | 395 | 785 |
| CNN | ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT | 679 | 189 | 304 |
| MSNBC | HARDBALL WITH C. MATTHEWS | 734 | 159 | 383 |
| CNBC | Kudlow Report | 176 | 63 | 106 |
| HLN | ISSUES | 690 | 205 | 405 |
| Net | 8PM | P2+ (000s) | 25-54 (000s) | 35-64 (000s) |
| FNC | THE OREILLY FACTOR | 2,993 | 550 | 1,208 |
| CNN | Anderson Cooper 360 | 891 | 332 | 457 |
| MSNBC | Last Word W/ L. ODONNELL | 937 | 197 | 428 |
| CNBC | COFFEE ADDICTION, THE | 143 | 63 | 76 |
| HLN | Nancy Grace | 753 | 185 | 371 |
| Net | 9PM | P2+ (000s) | 25-54 (000s) | 35-64 (000s) |
| FNC | Hannity | 2,182 | 449 | 895 |
| CNN | Piers Morgan Tonight | 777 | 249 | 354 |
| MSNBC | Rachel Maddow Show | 1,097 | 325 | 558 |
| CNBC | HOW I MADE MY MILLIONS | 131 | 45 | 50 |
| HLN | Dr. Drew | 582 | 184 | 294 |
| Net | 10PM | P2+ (000s) | 25-54 (000s) | 35-64 (000s) |
| FNC | ON THE RECORD W/GRETA | 1,319 | 324 | 575 |
| CNN | Anderson Cooper 360 | 789 | 300 | 390 |
| MSNBC | Ed Show | 874 | 225 | 420 |
| CNBC | AMERICAN GREED | 166 | 67 | 79 |
| HLN | Joy Behar | 495 | 177 | 243 |
| Net | 11PM | P2+ (000s) | 25-54 (000s) | 35-64 (000s) |
| FNC | THE OREILLY FACTOR | 1,314 | 440 | 688 |
| CNN | ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT | 482 | 196 | 240 |
| MSNBC | Last Word W/ L. ODONNELL | 544 | 151 | 265 |
| CNBC | Mad Money | 88 | 50 | 59 |
| HLN | SHOWBIZ TONIGHT | 424 | 134 | 177 |
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For other days cable news ratings click here.
P2+ = viewers over the age of 2
(25-54) = Adults 25-54 viewing
(35-64) = Adults 35-64 viewing
Prime Time = 8-11pm
LIVE+SD: The number that watched a program either while it was broadcast OR watched via DVR on the same day [through 3AM the next day] the program was broadcast. For more information see Numbers 101.
Scratch = when a show's audience fails to meet minimum Nielsen reporting levels. For more information go here.
Nielsen Cable Network Coverage Estimates (as of July, 2011)
CNN/HLN: 101.12 million HHs
CNBC: 98.62 million HHs
FNC: 99.15 million HHs
MSNBC: 95.72 million HHs
Fox Business: 58.15 million HHs
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2011 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
