It was another good week for the cable news networks, despite not having a presidential debate to televise. Fox News, CNN and MSNBC finished the week of Oct. 10 as top five ad-supported cable networks in total day viewers. Fox News and MSNBC were also top five in prime time.
Fox News was the No. 1 ad-supported cable network in total day viewership for the ninth consecutive week, per Nielsen. The network gained +42 percent from the comparable week in 2015. FNC has been No. 1 in total day for 15 of the past 16 weeks. CNN ranked No. 3 in total day viewers (+55 percent year-over-year), while MSNBC came in 4th (+162 percent year-over-year).
FNC finished No. 2 in total prime-time viewers (+57 percent year-over-year), only behind FS1, which televised the National League Division Series all week. MSNBC earned the No. 5 spot in total prime-time viewers, while CNN finished in sixth.
This past week, FNC claimed 10 of the top 25 cable telecasts in total viewers, including various telecasts of The O’Reilly Factor, The Kelly File, Hannity, and Special Report with Bret Baier.
HLN ranked No. 48 in prime-time viewers (-1 percent), and No. 39 in total day viewers (-12 percent) for the week of Oct. 10.
CNBC ranked No. 50 in total prime-time viewers (-16 percent), and No. 61 in total day viewers (-22 percent).
Fox Business Network came in at No. 81 in total prime time viewers (+76 percent), and No. 64 in total day viewers (+112 percent). The network delivered its second-most-watched “Business Day” daypart with 180,000 viewers. Varney & Co. delivered its most-watched week in program history with 226,000 viewers.
Here are the top 5 ad-supported cable networks in total viewers for the week of October 10:
Top 5 – Prime Time (P2+)
- FS1 (3,648,000)
- Fox News (2,494,000)
- TBS (2,118,000)
- ESPN (2,079,000)
- MSNBC (1,615,000)
Top 5 – Total Day (P2+)
- Fox News (1,452,000)
- Nickelodeon (1,131,000)
- CNN (1,034,000)
- MSNBC (913,000)
- Adult Swim (886,000)
Below is the full ranker: