July 2018 Ratings: Fox News Marks 25 Consecutive Months as Most-Watched Cable Network in Total Day

By A.J. Katz 

Fox News Channel continues to “be best” when it comes to drawing viewers across the 24-hour day. In July 2018, Fox News marked 25 consecutive months as the most-watched basic cable network in total day by averaging 1.4 million viewers in the daypart, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data.

FNC was also the most-watched basic cable network for July in prime time, averaging 2.4 million total viewers from 8-11 p.m. That’s +14 percent vs. FNC’s prime time viewer delivery for July 2017. The network averaged 443,000 A25-54 viewers in prime time this past month, +9 percent from the July 2017 average.

But FNC didn’t post year-over-year audience growth in all categories. The network averaged 265,000 A25-54 viewers across the 24-hour day. That’s actually -5 percent vs. July 2017, but still ahead of CNN and MSNBC.

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Fox News’s 2.4 million total prime time viewer delivery beat MSNBC’s 1,663,000 and CNN’s 891,000 in July. FNC’s 443,000 adults 25-54 delivery in prime time tops MSNBC’s 309,000 and CNN’s 297,000.  In total day, FNC averaged 1,368,000 in total viewers, ahead of MSNBC’s 921,000 and CNN’s 638,000.  In the 25-54 demo, FNC averaged 265,000 ranking ahead of CNN with 192,000 and MSNBC with 177,000.

Here are FNC’s numbers for July 2018:

  • Prime time (Mon-Sun):  2,406,000 Total Viewers /  443,000 A25-54
  • Total Day (Mon-Sun):  1,368,000 Total Viewers /  265,000 A25-54

Moving to July programming, Hannity was the No. 1 program in total viewers across all of basic cable, averaging 3.4 million viewers in July, which is more than Discovery’s Shark Week programming. Additionally, Hannity’s telecast on July 9, which included coverage of President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, was the most-watched cable telecast of the entire month, delivering 5.8 million viewers.

Fox News claimed 13 of the top 20 cable news programs in total viewers and 11 of the top 20 cable news programs in the 25-54 demo for the month of July. FNC’s prime time programs Hannity, Tucker Carlson Tonight, The Ingraham Angle and early evening program The Five were among the top four programs in both total viewers and in the 25-54 demographic.

Lastly, FNC was also ranked the No. 2 “most-trusted” TV brand in the country by a new Research Intelligencer study via Brand Keys, behind only the BBC.

Fox Business was the most-watched business news network in Business Day (M-F, 9:30 a.m-5 p.m.) for the 14th consecutive month, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data.

Business Day:

  • FBN: 203,000 total viewers / 23,000 A25-54
  • CNBC: 147,000 total viewers / 24,000 A25-54

Total Day:

  • FBN: 142,000 total viewers / 18,000 A25-54
  • CNBC: 132,000 total viewers / 37,000 A25-54

Additionally, FBN is home to the top seven Nielsen-rated business news programs in total viewers.

  • Lou Dobbs Tonight (319,000)
  • Varney & Co (260,000)
  • Countdown to the Closing Bell with Liz Claman (199,000)
  • Cavuto Coast to Coast (185,000)
  • After the Bell (184,000)
  • The Intelligence Report with Trish Regan (174,000)
  • The Evening Edit with Elizabeth MacDonald (166,000)

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