The Top Cable News Programs in Q2 2017 Were…

By A.J. Katz 

Fox News lays claim to 14 of the top 20 cable news programs in total viewers this past quarter, led by Tucker Carlson Tonight. Hannity ranked No. 3 in total viewers, followed by The Five, Special Report with Bret Baier. The Story with Martha MacCallum finished No. 7 in total viewers, with The Fox News Specialists, America’s Newsroom and Outumbered rounding out the top 10.

Additionally, 5 out of the top 10 in the 25-54 demo hail from Fox News. They include Hannity (No.2), TCT (No. 3), The Five (No.4), Special Report (No. 7), and The Story (No. 9). FNC programs posted double-digit gains in the 25-54 demo compared to the same quarter last year, including Fox & Friends, Pres. Trump’s go-to show, which is on track to have its best year ever from a ratings perspective.

MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show had a banner second quarter of 2017. Maddow was the most-watched cable news show among adults 25-54, and was the No. 2 cable news show in total viewers. The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell ranked No. 6 in total viewers for the quarter, with All in with Chris Hayes coming in at No. 11, Hardball with Chris Matthews at No. 14, and 11th Hour with Brian Williams coming in at No. 18.

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MSNBC and CNN programming more in-roads in the A25-54 quarterly ranker. On the MSNBC side, Maddow ranked No.1 overall, with The Last Word coming in 5th, All In at No. 8.

CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 was CNN’s top show for the quarter, and finished No. 6 across cable news in the A25-54 demo. Erin Burnett Outfront delivered a record-setting quarter, both in total viewers and in the A25-54 demo. Outfront earned the No. 10 spot across cable news in the aforementioned A25-54 category.

Ironically, repeats of Forensic Files (HLN) and Shark Tank (CNBC) were the most-watched cable news shows outside of the big 3.

Prime Time Justice with Ashleigh Banfield was HLN’s most-watched original program for the quarter. Lou Dobbs Tonight was Fox Business’s most-watched original program for the quarter. Squawk on the Street was CNBC’s most-watched original program for the quarter.

Morning Express with Robin Meade was HLN’s top original program in the A25-54 demo. Squawk on the Street was CNBC’s top original program for the quarter in the demo. Lou Dobbs Tonight was Fox Business’s top original program in the demo.

Here are the cable news show rankers for Q2 2017:

 

Q2 ’17 Cable News Show Ranker (Total Viewers)

 

Q2 ’17 Cable News Show Ranker (Adults 25-54)

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