Stephen Colbert left the air on top of Cable News Twitter, winning both Best Day and Best Hour. Following Colbert for best hour was the 6pm showing of Colbert, Hannity, Kelly, and Schultz:

Raw data: 2014-12-18-ShowStats.csv and 2014-12-18 Schedule.csv

Note that all times are US Eastern Time. See notes at end for further explanations. For earlier articles on cable news twitter ratings, please see this.

Cable News Twitter Ratings for 2014-12-18

Top Shows for the day:

Category	Mentions	Show
Most Mentions During Hour	12729	Comedy Central: The Colbert Report
Most Mentions During Day	43582	Comedy Central: The Colbert Report

Ratings for individual time slots

Ratings for 12 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	America Tonight	1	392	1	362	1,477,886	42%	58%
CNN	Sombody’s Gotta Do It	7	101	7	90	99,616	62%	38%
Fox News	The Kelly File	278	4,845	231	2,913	48,775,002	60%	40%
MSNBC	The Rachel Maddow Show	76	2,945	64	1,449	11,340,509	53%	47%

Ratings for 1 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	Consider This	0	14	0	12	271,548	83%	17%
CNN	CNN International	124	4,179	117	3,322	158,923,072	58%	42%
Fox News	Hannity	360	11,525	211	5,744	125,562,455	66%	34%
MSNBC	The Last Word w/Lawrence O’Donnell	31	1,122	26	710	5,488,616	60%	40%

Ratings for 2 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
CNN	CNN International	211	4,179	201	3,322	158,923,072	58%	42%
Fox News	On The Record w/Greta Van Susteren	46	3,851	36	2,388	22,482,193	60%	40%
HLN	Nancy Grace	37	552	21	307	486,069	35%	65%
MSNBC	Hardball w/Chris Matthews	12	953	10	559	3,937,240	69%	31%

Ratings for 3 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	62	1,304	22	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
Al Jazeera	Inside Story	0	10	0	9	19,605	67%	33%
CNN	CNN International	119	4,179	113	3,322	158,923,072	58%	42%
Fox News	RedEye	769	2,582	123	1,273	18,781,935	72%	28%
MSNBC	All In w/Chris Hayes	10	1,939	9	940	6,916,910	52%	48%

Ratings for 4 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	America Tonight	0	392	0	362	1,477,886	42%	58%
CNN	Early Start	12	197	9	100	2,213,817	90%	10%
Fox News	The Five	7	1,150	3	688	2,157,092	76%	24%
MSNBC	The Rachel Maddow Show	17	2,945	15	1,449	11,340,509	53%	47%

Ratings for 5 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	27	1,304	24	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
CNN	Early Start	33	197	27	100	2,213,817	90%	10%
Fox News	FoxFriendsFirst	51	190	42	137	560,245	82%	18%
MSNBC	First Look (5-5:30)	0	6	0	6	2,670	100%	0%
MSNBC	Way Too Early (5:30-6)	62	171	46	126	4,361,425	73%	27%

Ratings for 6 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	27	1,304	27	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
Al Jazeera	Real Money with Ali Velshi (3:30)	1	18	1	16	188,912	67%	33%
CNN	New Day	190	1,786	142	1,159	64,944,293	61%	39%
Fox News	Fox And Friends	376	3,399	250	2,170	24,880,962	63%	37%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	7	168	7	140	1,040,270	62%	38%
MSNBC	Morning Joe	993	3,902	354	1,434	24,575,140	50%	50%

Ratings for 7 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	33	1,304	29	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
CNN	New Day	343	1,786	234	1,159	64,944,293	61%	39%
Fox News	Fox And Friends	504	3,399	340	2,170	24,880,962	63%	37%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	6	168	4	140	1,040,270	62%	38%
MSNBC	Morning Joe	1,269	3,902	501	1,434	24,575,140	50%	50%

Ratings for 8 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	80	1,304	67	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
CNN	New Day	257	1,786	203	1,159	64,944,293	61%	39%
Fox News	Fox And Friends	572	3,399	396	2,170	24,880,962	63%	37%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	8	168	7	140	1,040,270	62%	38%
MSNBC	Morning Joe	651	3,902	333	1,434	24,575,140	50%	50%

Ratings for 9 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	79	1,304	73	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
Al Jazeera	Inside Story	0	10	0	9	19,605	67%	33%
CNN	News Room	2	77	2	27	80,406	62%	38%
Comedy Central	The Daily Show	125	2,360	118	1,970	7,284,137	60%	40%
Comedy Central	The Colbert Report	992	43,582	919	34,591	441,175,890	64%	36%
Fox News	America’s Newsroom	140	350	92	226	11,329,479	67%	33%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	5	168	5	140	1,040,270	62%	38%
MSNBC	The Rundown w/José Díaz-Balart	96	516	63	319	9,832,291	57%	43%

Ratings for 10 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	50	1,304	37	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
CNN	News Room	3	77	2	27	80,406	62%	38%
Fox News	America’s Newsroom	70	350	47	226	11,329,479	67%	33%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	7	168	6	140	1,040,270	62%	38%
MSNBC	The Rundown w/José Díaz-Balart	132	516	87	319	9,832,291	57%	43%

Ratings for 11 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	Consider This	0	14	0	12	271,548	83%	17%
CNN	@This Hour	54	189	43	139	3,561,249	72%	28%
Fox News	Happening Now	44	146	34	120	4,884,261	61%	39%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	7	168	6	140	1,040,270	62%	38%
MSNBC	News Nation w/ Tamron Hall	68	363	50	267	3,035,881	56%	44%

Ratings for 12 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	88	1,304	83	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
CNN	Legal View w/Banfield	26	133	20	68	397,884	59%	41%
Fox News	Outnumbered	839	1,883	481	1,156	16,654,971	74%	26%
HLN	HLN Now	2	129	2	74	199,685	18%	82%
MSNBC	Andrea Mitchell Reports	161	434	123	320	5,663,015	58%	42%

Ratings for 1 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	65	1,304	50	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
CNN	Wolf	64	760	55	586	2,278,673	68%	32%
Fox News	Happening Now	18	146	15	120	4,884,261	61%	39%
HLN	HLN Now	7	129	5	74	199,685	18%	82%
MSNBC	Ronan Farrow Daily	170	634	76	431	7,015,674	60%	40%

Ratings for 2 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	62	1,304	54	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
CNN	News Room	1	77	1	27	80,406	62%	38%
Fox News	The Real Story w/Gretchen Carlson	111	370	80	243	1,638,780	72%	28%
HLN	HLN Now	0	129	0	74	199,685	18%	82%
MSNBC	The Reid Report	290	989	100	555	4,099,517	39%	61%

Ratings for 3 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
CNN	News Room	1	77	1	27	80,406	62%	38%
Fox News	Shepard Smith Reporting	86	236	72	191	720,974	71%	29%
HLN	HLN Now	15	129	12	74	199,685	18%	82%
MSNBC	The Cycle	41	168	29	109	1,491,586	70%	30%
MSNBC	The Cycle (w/ Host Accounts)	59	784	44	589	4,018,197	67%	33%

Ratings for 4 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	47	1,304	36	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
CNN	The Lead w/Jake Tapper	105	1,438	89	1,046	9,821,137	70%	30%
Fox News	Your World	171	1,141	124	887	2,829,119	63%	37%
HLN	HLN Now	23	129	13	74	199,685	18%	82%
MSNBC	Now w/Alex Wagner	97	224	75	178	695,580	71%	29%

Ratings for 5 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	Inside Story (5-5:30)	6	10	5	9	19,605	67%	33%
CNN	The Situation Room	61	760	51	586	2,278,673	68%	32%
Fox News	The Five	697	1,150	388	688	2,157,092	76%	24%
Fox News	The Five w/Hosts	1,040	3,827	588	2,438	15,291,184	73%	27%
HLN	What Would You Do?	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%
MSNBC	The Ed Show	1,313	2,403	458	924	11,669,871	58%	42%

Ratings for 6 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	68	1,304	64	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
CNN	The Situation Room (6 – 6:30)	107	760	94	586	2,278,673	68%	32%
Comedy Central	The Daily Show	121	2,360	106	1,970	7,284,137	60%	40%
Comedy Central	The Colbert Report	2,966	43,582	2,763	34,591	441,175,890	64%	36%
Fox News	Special Report w/Bret Baier	186	966	132	700	3,431,600	64%	36%
MSNBC	PoliticsNation w/ Al Sharpton	61	146	48	99	1,266,191	62%	38%

Ratings for 7 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	Real Money with Ali Velshi	1	18	1	16	188,912	67%	33%
CNN	Out Front w/Erin Burnett	161	415	114	285	2,310,075	84%	16%
Fox News	On The Record w/Greta Van Susteren	936	3,851	605	2,388	22,482,193	60%	40%
MSNBC	Hardball w/ Chris Matthews	292	953	157	559	3,937,240	69%	31%

Ratings for 8 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	65	1,304	56	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
CNN	Anderson Cooper 360	307	2,275	238	1,694	34,870,546	49%	51%
Fox News	The O’Reilly Factor	267	1,574	204	1,152	6,399,061	66%	34%
HLN	Nancy Grace	49	552	35	307	486,069	35%	65%
MSNBC	All In w/ Chris Hayes	886	1,939	307	940	6,916,910	52%	48%

Ratings for 9 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
CNN	Parts Unknown	136	880	99	545	11,954,582	53%	47%
Fox News	The Kelly File	2,305	4,845	1,244	2,913	48,775,002	60%	40%
HLN	Dr Drew On Call	288	601	156	366	7,602,366	36%	64%
MSNBC	The Rachel Maddow Show	1,260	2,945	493	1,449	11,340,509	53%	47%

Ratings for 10 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	Consider This	2	14	2	12	271,548	83%	17%
CNN	CNN Tonight w/ Hosts	195	2,074	122	1,425	13,117,749	66%	34%
Fox News	Hannity	2,577	11,525	1,343	5,744	125,562,455	66%	34%
MSNBC	The Last Word w/Lawrence O’Donnell	467	1,122	268	710	5,488,616	60%	40%

Ratings for 11 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	32	1,304	27	974	4,949,105	65%	35%
CNN	Anderson Cooper 360	146	2,275	136	1,694	34,870,546	49%	51%
Comedy Central	The Daily Show	434	2,360	353	1,970	7,284,137	60%	40%
Comedy Central	The Colbert Report	12,729	43,582	10,474	34,591	441,175,890	64%	36%
Fox News	The O’Reilly Factor	100	1,574	84	1,152	6,399,061	66%	34%
MSNBC	All In w/Chris Hayes	125	1,939	97	940	6,916,910	52%	48%

 

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Definition of terms used in this report:

• Network: For the purposes of total network mentions, the count is the total unique tweets that mention any of the shows tracked on the network or the network’s general Twitter account (e.g., @CNN).
• Mentions During Hour or Tweets Hour: The number of tweets that mention the show during the hour specified. For shows that are repeat later in the day, the first (and often live) showing usually garners the most mentions by a significant margin.
• Mentions During day or Tweets Day: The total number of mentions a show received from midnight to midnight, eastern time.
• Tweet Count: The number of tweets (including retweets) that mention a show.
• Unique Tweeters (Also labeled ‘UT‘): The number of Twitter users who have sent one or more tweets mentioning a show. If a user sends more than one tweet, they still only count once. For individual shows, both the unique tweeters during an hour as well as throughout the day are shown.
• Reach: A measure of the number of impressions a collection of tweets could make. For each tweet that is sent, I add up how many people follow the person tweeting it — how many timelines that tweet will show up in. Thus, if network A has 10,000 mentions from people with an average of 10 followers, the reach will be 100,000. On the other hand, if network B has 10,000 mentions from people with an average of 100 followers, the reach will be 1,000,000. So network B has much greater reach: tweets mentioning network B will potentially be seen 10 times as often as tweets about network A. There’s no guarantee that that many people actually see or read the tweet; in fact, it’s probably safe to say a very small fraction do. For individual shows, reach is only calculate on the entire day’s tweets: there’s no point in assuming that people read the tweets in real time.
• Male / Female: An estimate of the demographics of a show’s audience. Note that this number is an imprecise estimate.

Cable News Twitter Ratings are still experimental. If you have any suggestions, find any errors, or have any questions, please feel free to contact me at admin@socialseer.com

For further discussion of how these stats are calculated, please see this blog post. Especially the part about how I determine the gender of Twitter users.