NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 22: Host Greg Gutfeld appears during Former 2024 presidential candidate ... [+]
Fox News announced Thursday that it had signed Gutfeld! and The Five host Greg Gutfeld to a new, multi-year contract. The new deal comes after Gutfeld’s late night show ended the first quarter of 2024 as the highest-rated show in all of late night TV, outperforming CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, featuring the return (on Monday nights) of Jon Stewart.
"Since joining the network in 2007, Fox News has given me the freedom to be unabashedly myself and, in turn, deliver a distinct experience for our audience,” Gutfeld said in a statement released by the network. “There aren't many platforms that allow this type of creative independence and I'm proud to be a part of Suzanne's team,” he said, referring to Fox News Media chief executive Suzanne Scott.
"Greg is a true original whose trademark political and cultural commentary, humor and gifted writing has deeply connected and grown with our audience for more than 17 years,” Scott said in a statement. “Upon launching Gutfeld! three years ago, he rapidly disrupted the status quo to become the most-watched host in the genre with more viewers tuning in to his show than any other late-night program on television. We are proud to be the home of Greg, his unparalleled analysis and late-night's highest-rated program for many years to come."
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 16: Host Greg Gutfeld speaks during FOX News' "Gutfeld!" at Fox News ... [+]
In first quarter 2024 ratings, Gutfeld! made history as the highest-rated program among viewers 25-54, the key demographic of younger viewers most valued by advertisers—the first time the show has landed in first place in the key demo.
Gutfeld grabbed the crown as King of Late Night back in 2022, when his show overpowered the traditionally high ratings of the broadcast network late night shows. In an interview with Gutfeld! executive producer Tom O’Connor that September, I asked him what it was that he thought was drawing an audience to Fox News in late night. “Part of the reason for that is the audience has really connected with some of the new guests we’ve introduced them to, but also they’ve gotten to see some FNC stars let their hair down for an hour,” he told me.
The late night show drew a total audience of 2.2 million viewers and 304,000 viewers in the key demo, posting double-digit viewership increases from the same period one year ago.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 28: Jeanine Pirro, Jessica Tarlov, Jesse Watters, Dana Perino and Greg ... [+]
Gutfeld is also a central figure on Fox News Channel’s The Five, which finished the first quarter of 2024 as the first cable news show airing outside of prime time to top all other cable news shows for ten consecutive quarters. The Five drew a total audience in the first quarter of more than 3 million viewers, with 275,000 viewers in the key demo.
Fox News led cable news in the first quarter overall, with an average prime time audience of 2.018 million viewers, well ahead of MSNBC (1.209 million viewers) and CNN (606,000 viewers). Fox also led in the prime time key demo with 221,000 viewers, followed by CNN (121,000 viewers) and MSNBC (119,000 viewers).
Viewership in total day ratings also had Fox News in first place in the first quarter, with an average total audience of 1.297 million viewers, followed by MSNBC (814,000 viewers) and CNN (467,000 viewers). In the key demo, FNC was first with 156,000 viewers, followed by CNN (85,000 viewers) and MSNBC (82,000 viewers).
