Fox News Channel wrapped up another quarter as the most-watched network on cable television, running its streak in total day to 11 consecutive quarters at No. 1.
FNC was also the most-watched basic cable network in prime time for the quarter, defeating cable news competitors MSNBC and CNN in both prime time and total day across the board. Fox News had double digit percent advantages over MSNBC and CNN in both categories, as well as triple digit percent advantages over CNN in total prime time viewers. It has defeated MSNBC and CNN in total day viewers for 69 consecutive quarters.
No small feat for a network that has achieved many ratings feats over the years.
Additionally, the network claimed 12 of the top 20 cable news programs in total viewers and 10 of the top 20 in the 25-54 demo for the quarter. FNC’s evening and prime time programs were among the top four shows in total viewers and the 25-54 demo.
But not everything was great for Fox News on the ratings front. The network was -1 percent in total prime time viewers and -3 percent in total day viewers vs. its Q1 2018 ratings. Similar to its competition, the trend was more ominous in the A25-54 category: -15 percent in the prime time demo and -16 percent in the total day demo vs. Q1 of last year.
Younger news viewers are increasingly leaving cable news…will they return in time for 2020?
Here are Fox News’ ratings for Q1 of 2019:
- Prime time (Mon-Sun): 2,446,000 total viewers / 419,000 A25-54
- Total Day (Mon-Sun): 1,403,000 total viewers / 252,000 A25-54
On the Fox News programming front – Sean Hannity was the No. 1 cable news host for the quarter in total viewers (he finished in second place behind MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow among adults 25-54).
Other key ratings wins for the network included Tucker Carlson Tonight throttling its 8 p.m. timeslot competition. The Five won the 5 p.m. timeslot by a dominant margin. Laura Ingraham‘s The Ingraham Angle finished No. 1 in the 10 p.m. hour across the board.
Celebrating her 5-year anniversary at Fox, Maria Bartiromo‘s Sunday Morning Futures was the No. 1 cable news program on weekends for Q1 among adults 25-54. Not only that, but Futures was the most-watched show in all of cable in her 10 a.m. timeslot for the quarter.
Fox Business Network:
In Q1 2019, FBN delivered four of the top 10 programs in business TV news for the first quarter and its expanded prime time programming slate (8 – 11 p.m. ET) delivered +4 percent year-over-year growth in total viewers.
Lou Dobbs’ eponymous program Lou Dobbs Tonight was the most-watched business TV news program for the quarter, delivering 346,000 total viewers. His program has been No. 1 in total viewers for 12 consecutive quarters.
Stuart Varney’s three-hour program Varney & Co (9 a.m. – Noon ET) was the most-watched market program in business television for the quarter with 239,000 total viewers.
Trish Regan Prime Time ranked among the top 10 business programs for the quarter with 186,000 total viewers and delivered a +40 percent rise in viewership compared to various FBN programming in Q1 2018.
Q1 2019 (Business Day):
- FBN: 189,000 total viewers / 20,000 A25-54
- CNBC: 184,000 total viewers / 34,000 A25-54