Something happened to The O’Reilly Factor on Friday.  Normally a sleeper on Cable News Twitter, the Factor dominated Twitter, with nearly 5K mentions during its broadcast, and over 26K throughout the day.  What happened? Eric Bolling happened, guest hosting the show and bringing his vocal fans along with him.

It was no contest: the next two shows (The Kelly File and All In w/ Chris Hayes) combined had less mentions than Bolling’s Factor:

To put these results in context, for the rest of the week The O’Reilly Factor averaged about 650 mentions during the 8pm hour and 2400 mentions in the day overall.  Bolling brought that up about 7.5x during the show and over 10x throughout the day.

Speaking of the daily totals, the following chart gives an insight in how shows get talked about during the entire day:

Not only did the show dominate the day, but Eric Bolling’s hashtag, #WakeUpAmerica, was the most used hashtag or word on Cable News Twitter.

I’m always surprised that team Bill O’Reilly doesn’t invest more effort in social media.  Eric Bolling showed that when the (acting) host of the most popular show on Cable News puts his mind to it, he can drive the conversation on social media.

Raw data: 2015-03-06-ShowStats.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 2015-03-06

Top Shows for the day:

Category	Mentions	Show
Most Mentions During Hour	4845	Fox News: The O’Reilly Factor
Most Mentions During Day	26551	Fox News: The O’Reilly Factor

Ratings for individual time slots

Ratings for 12 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	24	1,740	18	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
Al Jazeera	America Tonight	0	15	0	13	41,875	20%	80%
CNN	Inside Man	17	124	17	108	465,658	53%	47%
Fox News	The Kelly File	271	5,541	167	3,076	43,445,447	60%	40%
HLN	Forensic Files	9	34	9	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	The Rachel Maddow Show	117	3,895	78	1,920	21,021,820	49%	51%

Ratings for 1 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	Real Money with Ali Velshi	2	131	2	115	769,019	47%	53%
Al Jazeera	Inside Story	0	7	0	6	7,734	50%	50%
CNN	CNN International	186	3,975	167	3,208	139,377,146	52%	48%
Comedy Central	The Daily Show	53	1,831	48	1,553	10,625,382	58%	42%
Comedy Central	The Nightly Show	33	1,082	26	822	5,296,564	59%	41%
Fox News	Hannity	418	10,740	267	5,704	74,561,757	61%	39%
HLN	Forensic Files	1	34	1	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	The Last Word w/Lawrence O’Donnell	54	1,969	33	1,141	5,805,627	50%	50%

Ratings for 2 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	57	1,740	53	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
Al Jazeera	America Tonight	0	15	0	13	41,875	20%	80%
CNN	CNN International	134	3,975	112	3,208	139,377,146	52%	48%
Fox News	On The Record w/Greta Van Susteren	47	4,780	40	2,929	51,591,742	55%	45%
HLN	Nancy Grace	73	1,264	44	760	3,165,752	32%	68%
MSNBC	Hardball w/Chris Matthews	22	1,166	15	686	5,822,943	59%	41%

Ratings for 3 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	60	1,740	51	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
Al Jazeera	Real Money with Ali Velshi	1	131	1	115	769,019	47%	53%
CNN	CNN International	193	3,975	103	3,208	139,377,146	52%	48%
Fox News	RedEye	984	3,600	163	1,761	11,988,324	63%	37%
HLN	Forensic Files	0	34	0	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	All In w/Chris Hayes	10	3,842	10	1,751	27,809,402	50%	50%

Ratings for 4 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	25	1,740	22	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
Al Jazeera	The Stream	0	82	0	65	1,666,888	60%	40%
CNN	Early Start	27	678	18	370	22,366,963	67%	33%
Fox News	The Kelly File	57	5,541	42	3,076	43,445,447	60%	40%
HLN	Forensic Files	2	34	2	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	The Rachel Maddow Show	18	3,895	14	1,920	21,021,820	49%	51%

Ratings for 5 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	29	1,740	15	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
CNN	Early Start	36	678	30	370	22,366,963	67%	33%
Fox News	FoxFriendsFirst	111	217	75	151	2,314,054	73%	27%
HLN	Forensic Files	0	34	0	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	First Look	1	5	1	4	5,868	100%	0%
MSNBC	Way Too Early	11	188	9	119	565,676	64%	36%

Ratings for 6 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	32	1,740	29	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
Al Jazeera	Inside Story	0	7	0	6	7,734	50%	50%
CNN	New Day	253	2,154	191	1,414	116,242,619	58%	42%
Fox News	Fox And Friends	216	1,952	162	1,278	12,095,268	62%	38%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	18	305	16	213	1,608,673	60%	40%
MSNBC	Morning Joe	1,791	7,002	563	2,417	18,253,729	50%	50%

Ratings for 7 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	Fault Lines	0	10	0	10	15,502	80%	20%
Al Jazeera	TechKnow	1	30	1	28	77,441	29%	71%
CNN	New Day	344	2,154	255	1,414	116,242,619	58%	42%
Fox News	Fox And Friends	404	1,952	279	1,278	12,095,268	62%	38%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	22	305	17	213	1,608,673	60%	40%
MSNBC	Morning Joe	1,649	7,002	558	2,417	18,253,729	50%	50%

Ratings for 8 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	114	1,740	91	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
CNN	New Day	383	2,154	248	1,414	116,242,619	58%	42%
Fox News	Fox And Friends	419	1,952	293	1,278	12,095,268	62%	38%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	25	305	19	213	1,608,673	60%	40%
MSNBC	Morning Joe	1,193	7,002	538	2,417	18,253,729	50%	50%

Ratings for 9 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	103	1,740	92	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
Al Jazeera	Talk to Al Jazeera	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%
CNN	News Room	1	57	1	14	56,421	43%	57%
Comedy Central	The Daily Show	82	1,831	70	1,553	10,625,382	58%	42%
Fox News	America’s Newsroom	34	159	24	111	1,478,640	69%	31%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	19	305	17	213	1,608,673	60%	40%
MSNBC	The Rundown w/José Díaz-Balart	76	473	58	333	4,779,334	53%	47%

Ratings for 10 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	72	1,740	65	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
CNN	News Room	0	57	0	14	56,421	43%	57%
Comedy Central	The Nightly Show	25	1,082	21	822	5,296,564	59%	41%
Fox News	America’s Newsroom	53	159	38	111	1,478,640	69%	31%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	17	305	15	213	1,608,673	60%	40%
MSNBC	The Rundown w/José Díaz-Balart	118	473	81	333	4,779,334	53%	47%

Ratings for 11 am

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	90	1,740	75	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
Al Jazeera	The Stream	6	82	6	65	1,666,888	60%	40%
CNN	At This Hour	66	475	33	210	3,829,216	64%	36%
Fox News	Happening Now	20	78	13	50	604,990	73%	27%
HLN	Morning Express w/Robin Meade	10	305	9	213	1,608,673	60%	40%
MSNBC	News Nation w/ Tamron Hall	201	666	134	429	4,692,156	51%	49%

Ratings for 12 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	92	1,740	76	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
Al Jazeera	People And Power	92	1,740	76	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
CNN	Legal View w/Banfield	11	23	10	19	14,008	50%	50%
Fox News	Outnumbered	658	1,898	330	1,124	8,206,369	71%	29%
HLN	The Daily Share	36	184	20	108	1,029,698	49%	51%
MSNBC	Andrea Mitchell Reports	168	355	117	249	1,938,052	39%	61%

Ratings for 1 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	108	1,740	93	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
CNN	Wolf	125	1,689	93	1,283	55,285,008	63%	37%
Fox News	Happening Now	26	78	21	50	604,990	73%	27%
HLN	The Daily Share	15	184	14	108	1,029,698	49%	51%
MSNBC	MSNBC Live w/ Thomas Roberts	43	216	31	127	673,715	66%	34%

Ratings for 2 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	57	1,740	53	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
Al Jazeera	Talk to Al Jazeera	0	0	0	0	0	0%	0%
CNN	News Room	15	57	3	14	56,421	43%	57%
Fox News	The Real Story w/Gretchen Carlson	147	482	100	321	2,403,554	66%	34%
HLN	The Daily Share	10	184	6	108	1,029,698	49%	51%
MSNBC	MSNBC Live w/ Thomas Roberts	62	216	39	127	673,715	66%	34%

Ratings for 3 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
CNN	News Room	9	57	6	14	56,421	43%	57%
Fox News	Shepard Smith Reporting	50	92	44	84	137,304	53%	47%
HLN	The Daily Share	10	184	9	108	1,029,698	49%	51%
MSNBC	The Cycle	68	192	46	140	1,444,767	57%	43%
MSNBC	The Cycle (w/ Host Accounts)	128	763	89	530	3,676,339	59%	41%

Ratings for 4 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	63	1,740	59	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
CNN	The Lead w/Jake Tapper	128	1,971	78	1,392	17,252,650	61%	39%
Fox News	Your World	396	1,909	295	1,445	5,599,245	61%	39%
HLN	The Daily Share	14	184	11	108	1,029,698	49%	51%
MSNBC	NOW with Alex Wagner	88	269	60	186	740,490	53%	47%

Ratings for 5 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	Fault Lines	0	10	0	10	15,502	80%	20%
Al Jazeera	TechKnow	0	30	0	28	77,441	29%	71%
CNN	The Situation Room	337	1,689	276	1,283	55,285,008	63%	37%
HLN	Forensic Files	0	34	0	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	The Ed Show	1,468	2,789	473	971	11,097,690	60%	40%

Ratings for 6 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	68	1,740	55	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
CNN	The Situation Room (6 – 6:30)	323	1,689	259	1,283	55,285,008	63%	37%
Comedy Central	The Daily Show	78	1,831	72	1,553	10,625,382	58%	42%
Comedy Central	The Nightly Show	84	1,082	78	822	5,296,564	59%	41%
Fox News	Special Report w/Bret Baier	272	1,811	184	1,238	13,979,040	64%	36%
HLN	Forensic Files	1	34	1	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	PoliticsNation w/ Al Sharpton	288	1,232	173	793	6,789,452	62%	38%

Ratings for 7 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	179	1,740	87	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
CNN	Out Front w/Erin Burnett	562	1,406	426	1,094	132,916,313	62%	38%
Fox News	On The Record w/Greta Van Susteren	1,624	4,780	877	2,929	51,591,742	55%	45%
HLN	Forensic Files	0	34	0	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	Hardball w/ Chris Matthews	539	1,166	291	686	5,822,943	59%	41%

Ratings for 8 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	74	1,740	64	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
CNN	Anderson Cooper 360	1,202	3,308	950	2,496	93,000,720	45%	55%
Fox News	The O’Reilly Factor	4,845	26,551	1,938	9,625	290,004,330	58%	42%
HLN	Forensic Files	0	34	0	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	All In w/ Chris Hayes	1,909	3,842	718	1,751	27,809,402	50%	50%

Ratings for 9 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	84	1,740	70	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
CNN	The Wonder List w/ Bill Weir	21	635	18	535	70,361,438	53%	47%
Fox News	The Kelly File	2,073	5,541	1,097	3,076	43,445,447	60%	40%
HLN	Forensic Files	2	34	2	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	The Rachel Maddow Show	1,483	3,895	548	1,920	21,021,820	49%	51%

Ratings for 10 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	America Tonight	3	15	1	13	41,875	20%	80%
Al Jazeera	Real Money with Ali Velshi	0	131	0	115	769,019	47%	53%
Fox News	Hannity	1,842	10,740	990	5,704	74,561,757	61%	39%
HBO	Real Time w/Bill Maher	961	3,645	508	2,438	12,099,950	65%	35%
HLN	Forensic Files	6	34	5	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	Lockup	8	57	8	48	76,122	67%	33%

Ratings for 11 pm

Network	Show	Twts Hour	Twts Day	UT Hour	UT Day	Reach	Male	Female
Al Jazeera	News	87	1,740	79	1,267	5,603,359	54%	46%
Al Jazeera	Inside Story (11:30)	0	7	0	6	7,734	50%	50%
CNN	Parts Unknown	70	1,296	61	1,036	33,098,086	38%	62%
Fox News	The O’Reilly Factor	1,126	26,551	653	9,625	290,004,330	58%	42%
HBO	Real Time w/Bill Maher (Rerun)	256	3,645	170	2,438	12,099,950	65%	35%
HLN	Forensic Files	3	34	3	31	262,542	50%	50%
MSNBC	Lockup	12	57	10	48	76,122	67%	33%

 

---

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 00,000. 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.