MSNBC scored the highest number of total average viewers Wednesday afternoon as the Senate convened for the second day of President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. Meanwhile, CNN led the way in the advertiser-coveted demographic of viewers between ages 25 and 54.
From 1 p.m. ET to 5 p.m. ET, according to early Nielsen data, MSNBC had 1.793 million total viewers, beating both CNN and Fox News. MSNBC had the lowest number of viewers in the 25-54 demo, bringing in 245,000. CNN had the lowest number of total average viewers with 1.270 million, but the highest number in the demo: 320,000 viewers between 25-54 tuned in to watch coverage of the first four hours of the second day of the trial.
Fox News brought in 1.715 million total average viewers and 310,000 in the demo. Fox News on Tuesday topped all broadcast and cable networks in coverage of the first day of the Senate trial. Also according to early Nielsen data, the channel outpaced CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS and ABC in both total average viewers and average viewers in the advertiser coveted age demographic of 25-54.
From 1 p.m. ET to 5 p.m. on both days Fox News had the highest average of total viewers. Across the two days in that timeslot, Fox News brought in 2.197 million viewers, of whom 355,000 were in the demo. CNN was close behind in the demo with 351,000 viewers between 25-54 averaged across both days’ special coverage, but fell to last place in total viewers with 1.360 million. MSNBC saw 1.866 million total viewers across both days and the fewest in the demo, bringing in 255,000.
In primetime Wednesday night, Fox News had 3.972 million viewers and 693,000 in the demo. MSNBC had 2.599 million viewers with 482,000 in the demo and CNN’s total average for primetime viewership was 1.423 million. Of those watching CNN, 395,000 were in the demo.