Fox News’ Kavanaugh Committee Vote Coverage Dominates Cable News Ratings On Friday

Following Thursday’s historic Senate testimony of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and accuser Christine Blasey Ford, cable news was laser-focused Friday on the Senate Judiciary Committee vote to move forward Kavanaugh’s nomination. And Fox News’ 1 PM and 2 PM hours were the beneficiaries as those hours led all of cable news in total and demo audience.

According to Nielsen, Fox News’ 1 PM time slot — which was anchored by Harris Faulkner and featured high drama surrounding Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) — was first overall in cable news with 4.335 million total viewers and placed second in the key 25-54 demographic with 909,000. The 2 PM hour, also anchored by Faulkner, topped cable news in the demo (927,000) while finishing second in total viewership (4.121 million).

During the 9 AM to 2 PM coverage of the committee vote, Fox News easily led across the board, averaging 3.661 million viewers overall and 719,000 in the demographic. CNN placed second in both metrics, drawing 511,000 demo viewers and a total audience of 1.797 million. MSNBC attracted 1.755 million total viewers and 317,000 in the 25-54 demo.

In the primetime 8 PM to 11 PM time slot, Fox nabbed 627,000 demographic viewers and 3.171 million viewers overall. CNN averaged 483,000 in the demo and 1.510 million total viewers. MSNBC captured a total viewership of 2.464 million and 474,000 in the key demo.

MSNBC’s top-rated hour of the day was 9 PM’s The Rachel Maddow Show, which drew 2.838 million total viewers and 577,000 in the demo.

CNN’s most-watched hour was 1 PM’s coverage of the committee vote, which attracted 628,000 in the demographic and 2.316 million total viewers.