February 2019 Ratings: Fox News Averaged More Viewers Than Any Other Basic Cable Network

By A.J. Katz 

Fox News Channel continues to attract millions and millions of eyeballs each day.

February 2019 marked a whopping 32 consecutive months for Fox News as the most-watched basic cable network in total day with 1.5 million viewers. FNC also averaged 2.6 million total viewers in prime time this month.

Not only did Fox News finish No. 1 across all of basic cable for the month of February, but the network also CNN and MSNBC among adults 25-54.

Advertisement

But not everything came up roses for Fox News. There were year-over-year losses. In prime time, Fox News was -6 percent in total prime time viewers, -6 percent in total day viewers vs. the network’s February 2018 ratings.

The drop was even steeper among adults 25-54, -20 percent among adults 25-54 watching prime time and -21 percent among adults 25-54 across the total day.

The ratings for February 2019 (Nielsen Live + Same Day data):

  • Prime time (Mon-Sun):  2,609,000 total viewers /  463,000 A25-54
  • Total Day (Mon-Sun):  1,458,000 total viewers /  261,000 A25-54

Hannity moved past The Rachel Maddow Show as the most-watched cable news program for the month of February (if one excludes specials). Seventeen telecasts of Hannity averaged 3.17 million total viewers, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. Eighteen telecasts of Tucker Carlson Tonight averaged 3.09 million total viewers. Nineteen telecasts of TRMS averaged 3.07 million total viewers.

However, if one includes special broadcasts (which MSNBC is doing), Rachel Maddow actually had the No. 1 show of the month.

Argue amongst yourselves.

What can’t be argued is the massive ratings for FNC’s State of the Union coverage. It was the most-watched telecast on all of cable for the month, attracting 11.3 million viewers; a figure unheard of for a non-cable sports telecast.

For the month of February, FNC programs accounted for 8 of the top 15 cable news programs in total viewers and claimed 6 of the top 10 cable news programs in the 25-54 demo. Hannity, Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Five and The Ingraham Angle were among the top five cable news programs in both total viewers and in the 25-54 demo.

Fox & Friends marked 208 months as the No. 1 cable news program in its timeslot, with an average of 1.5 million viewers and 293,000 with the 25-54 demo for the month of February.

___

Over on Fox Biz – Lou Dobbs‘ eponymous show Lou Dobbs Tonight marked its 38th consecutive month as the most-watched show on business TV.

Additionally, FBN’s prime time lineup saw increases in total viewers, delivering the network’s highest rated month in primetime since February 2017 and an +11 percent increase in audience growth year-over-year. Leading FBN’s evening programming, Trish Regan Prime time saw double digit audience growth of 43 percent compared to February 2018 programming.

Advertisement