November 2017 Ratings: Fox News Is Basic Cable’s Most-Watched Network For 17 Months

By A.J. Katz 

Another month, another ratings win for Fox News.

Not only was Fox News the most-watched cable news network for the 191st consecutive month, but it topped the basic cable landscape for the 17th consecutive month in total day viewers. The network finished No. 2 in total prime time viewers in November 2017 behind juggernaut ESPN.

The network posted double digit ratings declines in prime time versus November 2016, but that was to be expected, frankly, considering November 2016 was a month dominated by presidential election coverage.

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The ratings for November, 2017 (Nielsen Live + Same Day data):

  • Prime time (Mon-Sun): 2,299,000 total viewers / 447,000 A25-54
  • Total Day (Mon-Sun): 1,430,000 total viewers / 299,000 A25-54

Sean Hannity had the No. 1 show in cable news in total audience, and the second-most-watched show on all of cable for November, only ESPN’s behind Monday Night Football.

Hannity was also No. 1 in the key A25-54 demo for the month if one excludes special programming (639,000 vs. 634,000 for Rachel Maddow). But if one includes special programming, Hannity is No. 2 in the demo behind Maddow.

Fox & Friends continues to win the cable news morning show ratings race (193 straight months), and it’s on pace to have the highest-rated in network history in its timeslot.

In addition to Hannity, and F&F, Your World with Neil Cavuto, The Five, Special Report with Bret Baier, The Story with Martha MacCallum, Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Ingraham Angle all won their respective time slot in total viewers, and in the key A25-54 demo.

Here are the top 5 cable news programs of the month in key measurements. This data excludes specials.

Cable News Top 5 (Total Viewers)

  1. Hannity (3,157,000)
  2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (2,900,000)
  3. The Rachel Maddow Show (2,813,000)
  4. The Ingraham Angle (2,463,000)
  5. Special Report with Bret Baier (2,385,000)

Cable News Top 5 (A25-54)

  1. Hannity (639,000)
  2. Rachel Maddow Show (634,000)
  3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (587,000)
  4. The Ingraham Angle (492,000)
  5. The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (477,000).

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