Fox News Channel was No. 1 in both prime time and total day viewers among all ad-supported cable networks for the week of August 3, averaging 4.4 million viewers in prime time. That average was given a boost by Thursday’s record-breaking GOP primary debate. Watched by 24 million viewers, the debate was the highest-rated cable news program on any network – ever. It was also the highest-rated telecast for the entire week among both broadcast and cable, more than doubling the 10.2 million who watched Monday’s edition of America’s Got Talent on NBC. This was FNC’s most-watched week since the week of March 31, 2003, at the height of the Iraq War, when FNC averaged 4.524 million viewers.
CNN finished No. 31 in prime time and No. 20 in total day, while MSNBC ranked No. 21 in prime time and No. 26 in total day. HLN was No. 45 in prime time and No. 33 in total viewers.
TNT, USA, HGTV and History join FNC among the Top 5 in prime time viewers.