MSNBC Rides Cohen Hearing to Highest-Rated Non-Election Day, Maddow #1 in All of Cable

While CNN easily led cable news in the crucial 25-54 advertising demographic during Wednesday’s coverage of former Trump attorney Michael Cohen’s House Oversight Committee hearing, MSNBC boasted the most total viewers of the day. MSNBC also had the top-rated program of the day in both the key demo and total audience.

According to Nielsen, during the Cohen hearing that aired from 10 AM to 5:15 PM, MSNBC averaged 2.834 million total viewers and 452,000 in the key demographic. CNN nabbed 588,000 demo viewers and a total audience of 2.153 million. Fox News nabbed 2.340 million viewers overall and 388,000 in the demo.

In the 8 PM to 11 PM primetime hours, MSNBC led in the demo with 645,000 while drawing 3.137 million viewers overall. Fox News placed first in total viewership (3.451 million) and pulled in a demo audience of 629,000. CNN averaged 1.795 million total viewers and 583,000 in the 25-54 metric.

In the “sales day (6 AM-2 AM), MSNBC took first place in total viewership (2.371 million) and pulled in 414,000 in the key demo. CNN drew 482,000 in the demographic and 1.618 million viewers overall. Fox News attracted 2.305 million total viewers and 413,000 in the demo.

MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show was the most-watched program in all of cable with 3.839 million viewers overall and topped cable news in the demographic (818,000). Fox News’ Hannity, which airs opposite Maddow at 9 PM and broadcast live from Vietnam, placed second total viewers (3.705 million) and third in the demo (698,000). The 5 PM broadcast of CNN’s Situation Room, which followed the Cohen hearing, took second in the demographic with 722,000.

Per MSNBC, Wednesday was the network’s highest-rated day ever outside of the presidential election days for 2008, 2012 and 2016. The network also had its best ever day in the dayside (9 AM-5 PM) slot, drawing 2.562 million viewers overall.