Media

Fox News Channel Sees Highest Viewership Numbers In 2020 Amid Coronavirus Coverage

REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

Shelby Talcott Senior White House Correspondent
Font Size:

Fox News Channel (FNC) delivered its highest-rated week in total viewers of 2020 amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to Nielsen Media Research.

FNC saw its highest ratings week in 2020 for the week of March 23 as the novel coronavirus coverage has continued. The network garnered 2.6 million viewers and had 571,000 eyeballs for the 25-54 demographic, which is the highest since 2016’s election week. Primetime received 4.3 million viewers and had 838,000 in the 25-54 age group. This was the network’s highest primetime average all year so far.

Fox New Channel’s numbers beat out the competition across the board. Last week’s eyeballs mean that the FNC has been the most-watched cable network across total days among all viewers for 12 weeks in a row. The network has also held the top prize in primetime viewership for 10 weeks in a row.

The network beat out the competition with total viewers and the demo last week during its coronavirus coverage, Nielsen Media Research data showed. Anchor Bret Baier’s “Special Report” had the highest-rating broadcast for the week. Baier also saw his show have its highest ever rating since the program began, with 5.2 million.

Traffic on Sixth Avenue passes by advertisements featuring Fox News personalities, including Bret Baier, Martha MacCallum, Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and Sean Hannity, adorn the front of the News Corporation building, March 13, 2019 in New York City. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Bret Baier, Martha MacCallum, Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and Sean Hannity, adorn the front of the News Corporation building, March 13, 2019 in New York City. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

“The Five” also had a successful week, matching Baier’s records. The show had 5.1 million total viewers, according to the data. Host Sean Hannity’s show “Hannity” marked its 55 consecutive week beating out Rachel Maddow’s show on MSNBC.

Hannity’s show, along with “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” each garnered their most watched week ever since both program’s inception in total viewers and in the demo. Anchor Harris Faulkner had her highest-rated week in both categories ever, too. (RELATED: Fox News’ Bill Hemmer Crushes Shepard Smith’s Ratings In Debut)

Other programs on Fox News saw their highest ever viewership numbers as well, the data indicated. Overall, the network beat out CNN and MSNBC in cable news ratings for the demographic, cable news ranking and basic cable.