The Kavanaugh hearing cable news ratings are in

By MixDex Article may include affiliate links

The early numbers are in for cable news.

  • According to TVNewser, Fox News came out on top with 5.69 million viewers from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. for its coverage of Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony before a senate committee.
  • Of that, 1.1. million were in the adults 25-54 demo.
  • That’s triple CNN and MSNBC’s ratings.
  • It’s important to note, however, that these numbers do not include livestream viewership and, given that much of the testimony was during work hours, this could have added significantly to totals.
  • CNN removed the requirement of having a paid cable subscription to watch its feed during the hearing, so that could also have boosted its numbers.
  • Back on television, MSNBC came in second in in total viewers at 2.89 million, with 464,000 in the demo.
  • CNN came in third with 2.52 million total but bested MSNBC in the demo at 736,000.
  • In primetime, which heavily focused on continuing coverage, but not the actual live testimony, Fox handily won with 5.5 million total and 1.3 in the demo.
  • MSNBC posted 3.18 million total and 721,00 in the demo beating CNN in both categories.
  • CNN registered 1.90 million total viewers and 670,000 in the key news demo.
  • An interesting trend emerges if you look at the data broken down by who was testifying.
  • During Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony (10:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.), Fox had 4.69 watching and 840,000 in the demo.
  • MSNBC, meanwhile, had 2.72 million and 393,000, while CNN came in at 2.37 million and 652,00 in the demo.
  • When Kavanaugh began testifying, Fox’s numbers soared to 7.17 million and 1.40 million.
  • MSNBC and CNN both gained in total viewers and the demo during Kavanaugh’s testimony, with MSNBC scoring 3.18 million and 553,000 and CNN at 2.78 million and 856,000 in the demo.
  • All of these numbers are preliminary and subject to revision later by Nielsen, the firm who released them.