The 90-Minute Debate Averaged Nearly 4.75 Million Viewers and 742,000 in 25-54 Demo from 9-10:30PM/ET and Another 706,000 During the Encore for a Total of More than 5.4 Million Viewers

"Hannity" Delivered its Highest Telecast of 2023 with Total Viewers Garnering More than 70% of the Cable News Audience Share in both Viewers and 25-54 Demo

NEW YORK, December 02, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FOX News Channel’s (FNC) DeSantis vs. Newsom: The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate in Alpharetta, GA was the second most-watched program in linear television last night averaging a total of 4.75 million viewers and a whopping 742,000 in the 25-54 demo which represented nearly 73% of the cable news share in total viewers and 77% of the cable news share in the key demo, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. The encore of the debate from 12-1:30AMET (9-10:30PM PT) averaged 706,000 viewers for a combined total of 5,456,0000 viewers and 1,050,000 in the 25-54 demo.

Moderated by Sean Hannity, the 90-minute debate between Florida Governor and GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis (R) and California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) was Hannity’s highest telecast of 2023 and notched a 200% increase versus same day last year. The post-debate show also helmed by Hannity, nabbed 3.4 million total viewers and 541,000 A25-54 from 10:30-11 PM/ET.

During the debate, FNC had a triple digit percent viewership advantage over both CNN (881%) and MSNBC (263%) and in the A25-54 demo with CNN (673%) and MSNBC (508%). In primetime from 7-11PM/ET, FNC notched 3.4 million viewers and 474,000 in the 25-54 demo, crushing the cable news competition across the board.

From 9PM-10:30PM/ET, the debate outpaced NBC and CBS in total viewers, according to early broadcast data, coming behind only the season finale of ABC’s Golden Bachelor.

9-10:30PM/ET
FNC: 4,747,000 P2+; 742,000 A25-54
CNN: 484,000 P2+; 96,000 A25-54
MSNBC: 1,307,000 P2+; 122,000 A25-54

9-10:00PM/ET
FNC: 4,856,000 P2+; 754,000 A25-54
CNN: 515,000 P2+; 103,000 A25-54
MSNBC: 1,197,000 P2+; 123,000 A25-54

10-11:00PM/ET
FNC: 3,971,000 P2+; 630,000 A25-54
CNN: 386,000 P2+; 73,000 A25-54
MSNBC: 1,410,000 P2+; 116,000 A25-54

7-11PM/ET
FNC: 3,441,000 P2+, 474,000 A25-54.
CNN: 556,000 P2+, 112,000 A25-54.
MSNBC: 1,305,000 P2+, 119,000 A25-54

12- 1:30AM/ET
FNC: 706,000 P2+, 154,000 A25-54
CNN: 298,000 P2+, 60,000 A25-54.
MSNBC: 510,000 P2+, 74,000 A25-54

6-3AM/ET
FNC: 1,731,000 P2+; 219,000 A25-54
CNN: 493,000 P2+; 87,000 A25-54
MSNBC: 982,000 P2+; 88,000 A25-54

FOX News Media operates the FOX News Channel (FNC), FOX Business Network (FBN), FOX News Digital, FOX News Audio, FOX News Books, the direct-to-consumer streaming services FOX Nation and FOX News International and the free ad-supported television service FOX Weather. Currently the number one network in all of cable, FNC has also been the most watched television news channel for more than 21 consecutive years, while FBN is the top business channel on cable. Owned by Fox Corporation, FOX News Media reaches nearly 200 million people each month.

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FOX News Media Contact:
Alexandra Coscia: 212.301.3272 or alexandra.coscia@fox.com