Fox News Channel continues to dominate the basic cable landscape, and finished No. 1 in total day viewers for the week of August 13, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s now 32 consecutive weeks FNC has finished No. 1 across the 24-hour day. Fox News’ 1.34 million viewer average across the 24-hour-day is +4 percent vs. vs. the comparable week last year.
FNC also finished No. 1 across basic cable in total prime time viewers for the 12th straight week. Its 2.3 million total viewer average in the daypart is +12 percent vs. the same week last year.
Fox News also defeated CNN and MSNBC in A25-54, both in prime time (423,000 vs. 331,000 vs. 314,000) and across the total day (255,000 vs. 198,000 vs. 180,000).
That week (Aug. 14, 2017) was a particularly eventful one, which included cable news reporting on the aftermath of Charlottesville, terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Steve Bannon‘s departure from the Trump White House.
FNC claimed 17 of the top 30 cable telecasts overall in total viewers, including presentations of Hannity, The Ingraham Angle, Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Five and Special Report with Bret Baier.
In basic cable, Hannity was also the most-watched regularly scheduled daily program.
MSNBC the No. 2 network on basic cable last week among total viewers, both in prime time and across the total day. The network averaged 1.83 million total prime time viewers, -8 percent vs. the same week last year, and 1.03 million total day viewers, which is -5 percent vs. last year.
MSNBC finished No. 3 behind FNC and CNN in the key A25-54 demo.
CNN earned a top 10 ranking in total viewers this past week, both in prime time (No. 8) and total day (No. 6). The network’s 1.01 million total viewer average in prime time is -23 percent vs. the same week last year, and its 686,000 total day viewer average is -24 percent vs. last year. Those aforementioned political and cultural events had a significant impact on CNN’s ratings.
CNN finished ahead of MSNBC in the key A25-54 demo, both in prime time (331,000 vs. 314,000) and total day (198,000 vs. 180,000).
Basic Cable Top 10 – Prime time (Total Viewers)
- Fox News (2,999,000)
- MSNBC (1,828,000)
- HGTV (1,366,000)
- USA (1,305,000)
- ESPN (1,245,000)
- History (1,160,000)
- Discovery (1,065,000)
- CNN (1,011,000)
- Investigation Discovery (987,000)
- A&E (974,000)
Basic Cable Top 10 – Total Day (Total Viewers)
- Fox News (1,337,000)
- MSNBC (1,031,000)
- Nickelodeon (949,000)
- HGTV (737,000)
- Investigation Discovery (706,000)
- CNN (686,000)
- USA (600,000)
- History (575,000)
- Hallmark Channel (533,000)
- ESPN (532,000)
Basic cable ranker: Week of Aug. 13 (Total Viewers)
Additionally, here are FBN’s ratings from this past week, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data:
Business Day (M-F, 930 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET):
- FBN: 198,000 total viewers / 22,000 A25-54
- CNBC: 166,000 total viewers / 29,000 A25-54
Market Hours:
- FBN: 204,000 total viewers / 24,000 A25-54
- CNBC: 167,000 total viewers / 28,000 A25-54
Total Day:
- FBN: 147,000 total viewers / 19,000 A25-54
- CNBC: 143,000 total viewers / 41,000 A25-54
Business program ranker (total viewers):
- FBN Lou Dobbs Tonight (339,000)
- FBN Varney & Co (252,000)
- FBN Countdown to the Closing Bell with Liz Claman (177,000)
- CNBC Squawk on the Street (174,000)
- CNBC Fast Money Halftime Report (171,000)
- FBN Cavuto: Coast to Coast (168,000)
- FBN The Intelligence Report with Trish Regan (166,000)