Week of Feb. 26 Basic Cable Ranker: Fox News Is Most-Watched Cable TV Network for 7 Weeks

This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of Feb. 26, 2024.

For the seventh straight week, Fox News remained the most-watched cable news network in total day and primetime. Additionally, Fox News was the only news network to not register any week-to-week declines in either of those measured categories during primetime and total day.

NETWORKS:

Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of Feb. 26 saw FNC average 2.094 million total viewers and 236,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was flat in total viewers and in the A25-54 demo during primetime, relative to the week prior (week beginning Feb. 19). In total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.360 million total viewers and 163,000 A25-54 viewers, which translated to a +1% gain in total viewers and a +3% gain in A25-54 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 but dropped one spot from the previous week to land in the No. 5 position in the primetime demo. In total day, the network was once again the only cable network to cross one million total viewers, holding its No. 1 position and remaining in the No. 2 position overall in the total day demo for the week of Feb. 26, 2024.

MSNBC in primetime averaged 1.223 million total viewers and 122,000 viewers from the A25-54 demo for the week of Feb. 26. It had a -8% drop in total viewers but a +2% gain in the A25-54 demo from what the network averaged the week prior. In total day, MSNBC averaged 822,000 total viewers and 83,000 A25-54 viewers for the week of Feb. 26. That’s a -4% drop in total viewers and +2% gain in A25-54 from what the network averaged the week before. Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC remained No. 2 in total primetime viewers but rose two spots to No. 18 in the demo. It was No. 2 in total day viewers and stayed at No. 12 in the total day demo.

CNN averaged 573,000 total primetime viewers and 119,000 A25-54 viewers in primetime for the week of Feb. 26. The news net had a drop of -8% in total viewers and A25-54, compared to the prior week. In total day, CNN had 470,000 total viewers and 88,000 viewers in the demo. It had a drop in viewership, decreasing by -3% in total viewers and -4% in the total day demo compared to the previous week. CNN finished the week by falling two places to land in 19th place in the primetime demo and dropped one spot to land in the 11th spot in total primetime viewers. It was No. 4 in total day viewers and in 10th place in the total day demo.

How did the networks fare relative to the year-ago week? Fox News was flat in total primetime viewers and dropped by -7% in the demo. In total day, it fell by -1% in total day viewers and dipped by -8% in the total day demo. CNN was up +8% in total primetime viewers and +13% in the demo. The network was up +5% in total day viewers as well as in the demo. MSNBC was also up +8% in total primetime viewers and +15% in the primetime demo. In total day, the network had gains of +19% in total viewers and +9% in the demo.

PROGRAMMING:

Fox had 12 out of the 15 most-watched cable news shows of the week, led once again by The Five (3.125 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET). The return of Nicolle Wallace to Deadline: White House at 5 p.m. ET propelled the news program, making it MSNBC’s most-watched program at No. 12 with 1.645 million viewers. MSNBC had three of its shows in the top 15 most-watched cable news shows.

Meanwhile, Gutfeld! continued to be the top cable news program among Adults 25-54, averaging 326,000 A25-54 viewers at 10 p.m. ET. Fox News again led the way with 13 out of the top 15 cable news shows in the demo overall, with the Rachel Maddow/Alex Wagner timeslot landing at the No. 14 spot, earning 168,000 viewers for the demo at 9 p.m. ET. MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes was in the 15th spot with 167,000 at 8 p.m. ET.

Week of Feb. 26 cable news ratings, Monday-Sunday (Nielsen Live+SD data):