Cable Network Ranker: October 2012

By Alex Weprin 

The Presidential debates and the final leg of the Presidential campaign provided a huge boost to the cable news channels in the ratings in October.

Fox News Channel was the number one ad-supported cable network in primetime, the first time that has happened since Hurricane Katrina in September, 2005. In total day FNC was number two for the month, behind Nickelodeon. FNC averaged 3.46 million viewers in primetime and 1.58 million in total day.

MSNBC was boosted to the top 10 in October, placing 6th in primetime and 13th in total day. MSNBC averaged 1.44 million total viewers in primetime, and 662,000 in total day. CNN was 18th in primetime and 25th in total day, averaging 1.04 million total viewers in primetime, and 483,000 viewers in total day.

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HLN was 42nd in total day and 44th in primetime, averaging 285,000 and 1215,000 viewers, respectively. Current TV was 90th and 92nd in primetime and total day, averaging 43,000 and 29,000

As for the business networks: CNBC was 51st in primetime and 49th in total day, averaging 220,000 and 167,000 viewers, respectively. Fox Business Network was 81st in primetime and 76th in total day, averaging 86,000 and 62,000 viewers, respectively. Bloomberg TV isn’t rated by Nielsen, and hasn’t been since launching in 1994.

The full ranker is below.

October 2012 All Cable Ranker

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