Fox News Channel Tops ABC With 2.8 Million Viewers — Abc Channel
Channel averaged 2.8 million weekday primetime viewers in May, topping ABC's 2.7 million and giving abc channel a measurable primetime edge in a key monthly ratings period. The network also posted the highest-rated May for a midterm election year in its history.
May's 2.8 Million Lead
The 2.8 million average came even as Channel matched in weekday primetime during a month heavy with NBA and NHL playoff coverage. It also commanded nearly 60% of the cable news audience share across total day and primetime, a sweep that shows the network did more than win one night window.
Channel also accounted for the top 85 cable news telecasts in May. That kind of concentration is the clearest sign that the audience was not just drifting to one flagship hour; it was landing across the schedule.
ABC's 2.7 Million
ABC averaged 2.7 million viewers in weekday primetime in May, but that still left it behind Channel by 100,000 viewers. ABC also recorded its lowest-rated May primetime performance of the 21st century among both total viewers and the 25-54 demographic.
That leaves the broadcast side with a less comfortable May than the cable side, especially in the advertiser-coveted 25-54 demo where Channel drew 210,000 viewers. For a ratings month, the gap is not just symbolic; it is a competitive lead in the part of the schedule most closely watched by ad buyers and programmers.
Fox's Primetime Stack
The Five averaged 3.6 million viewers and 317,000 in the 25-54 demographic, making it one of the channel's strongest May performers. Jesse Watters Primetime led cable news primetime at 8 p.m. ET with 3.1 million viewers, while Gutfeld! averaged 2.9 million viewers, Hannity averaged 2.7 million, and The Ingraham Angle averaged 2.5 million.
Special Report with Bret Baier averaged 2.7 million viewers and led CBS Evening News in 19 top markets including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. It also beat ABC's World News Tonight in Jacksonville, New Orleans and Memphis, a reminder that the fight in news is often market by market, not just in national averages.
CBS News Benchmarks
CBS Evening News remained below 4 million viewers for the second consecutive month, and CBS Mornings posted the lowest-rated May in the program's history with 1.8 million viewers and 296,000 in the 25-54 demographic. For Channel, the May result is not a one-off spike; it is the kind of month that sets the benchmark others now have to chase.
