Fox News Channel continues its impressive ratings winning streak as the most-watched basic cable network in total day (6 a.m. – 6 a.m.). In August 2019, FNC marked its 38th consecutive at No. 1 across basic cable, and as the No. 1 cable news network in total viewers for the 212th consecutive month.
FNC did drop to second place in the prime time demo this past month behind CNN, which televised Democratic primary debates on back-to-back nights in the August Nielsen calendar.
Compared with what the network averaged in August 2018, Fox News was +6% in total prime time viewers, +4% in total day viewers, -11% in prime time adults 25-54 and -7% in adults 25-54, total day.
The average Nielsen live + same day impressions for August 2019:
- Prime time (Mon-Sun): 2,448,000 total viewers / 375,000 A25-54
- Total Day (Mon-Sun): 1,356,000 total viewers / 234,000 A25-54
For the month of August, FNC programs Hannity, Tucker Carlson Tonight (who caused, shall we say, some “headaches” for the network), The Ingraham Angle and The Five made up four of the top five cable news programs across the board. Rachel Maddow dropped to No. 5.
Interestingly, if one excludes the Democratic debates, FNC would have defeated MSNBC and even CNN in the demo. But because Nielsen is indeed including the CNN Democratic primary prime time debates, CNN still takes the A25-54 prime time cake.