Week of Feb. 12 Basic Cable Ranker: 5 Straight Weeks for Fox News Being Most-Watched Cable News Network

Welcome to the TVNewser basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of Feb. 12, 2024.

Breaking news situations and coverage of the Fanni Willis testimony in a Georgia court gave the cable news networks some ratings juice this past week. All networks experienced week-to-week gains, with MSNBC and CNN seeing double-digit gains compared to the previous week.

NETWORKS:

Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of Feb. 12 officially shows Fox News Channel was the top-rated cable news network in total viewers and among Adults 25-54 for the fifth straight week. In primetime, FNC averaged 2.104 million total viewers and 232,000 A25-54 viewers. This was a +3% gain in total viewers and A25-54, respectively, relative to the week prior (week beginning Feb. 5). In total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.388 million total viewers and 164,000 A25-54 viewers, which translated to a +2% gain and -1% drop, respectively, from what Fox News averaged in those measurements the week prior.

Among all basic cable networks, Fox News maintained its No. 1 position in total primetime viewers and No. 5 in the primetime demo. In total day, the network was the only cable network to cross one million total viewers in total day, holding its No. 1 position, while it was the No. 3 in the total day demo for the week of Feb. 12, 2024.

MSNBC in primetime averaged 1.457 million total viewers and 140,000 viewers from the A25-54 demo for the week of Feb. 12. It had a +10% gain in total viewers and +17% in the A25-54 demo from what the network averaged the week prior. In total day, MSNBC averaged 949,000 total viewers and 97,000 A25-54 viewers for the week of Feb. 12. That’s a +12% and +15% gain, respectively, from what the network averaged the week before.

Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC finished the week at No. 3 in total primetime viewers—TNT took the second spot—and No. 18 in the demo. It was No. 2 in total day viewers and No. 16 in the total day demo. In total day, MSNBC was the No.2 network and tied for ninth place with CNN in the demo.

CNN averaged 677,000 total primetime viewers and 125,000 A25-54 viewers in primetime for the week of Feb. 12. The news net had a hefty +35% increase and +14% in total viewers and A25-54, respectively, compared to primetime in the prior week. In total day, CNN had 549,000 total viewers and 97,000 viewers in the demo. It had a double-digit increase in viewership, rising by +19% in total viewers and +17% in the total day demo compared to the previous week. CNN finished the week in 19th place in the primetime demo and No. 8 in total primetime viewers. It was No. 3 in total day viewers and tied for 9th with MSNBC in the total day demo.

How did the networks fare relative to the year-ago week? Fox News fell by -4% in total primetime viewers and -17% in the demo. In total day, it fell by -4% in total day viewers and -14% in the total day demo.

CNN was up +24% in total primetime viewers and +13% in the primetime demo. The network was up +19% in total day viewers and +14% in the total day demo. MSNBC was also up +24% in total primetime viewers and +27% in the primetime demo. In total day, the network had healthy gains, up +31% in total viewers and +26% in the demo.

PROGRAMMING:

Fox had 10 out of the 15 most-watched cable news shows of the week, led once again by The Five (3.262 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET). MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell at 10 p.m. ET was the most-watched non-Fox cable news show of the week, coming in at No. 7 with an average of 1.920 million viewers. MSNBC had five of its shows in the top 15 of most-watched cable news shows.

Meanwhile, Gutfeld! remained the top cable news program among Adults 25-54, averaging 323,000 A25-54 viewers at 10 p.m. ET. Fox News once again led the way with 13 out of the top 15 cable news shows in the demo overall, with MSNBC occupying the final two spots. Lawrence O’Donnell once again was its top show, coming in at No. 14 with 188,000 viewers at 10 p.m. ET, and the Rachel Maddow/Alex Wagner timeslot came in at No. 15 with 181,000 viewers for the demo at 9 p.m. ET.

Week of Feb. 12 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen Live+SD data):