According to live-plus-same-day data from Nielsen, Fox News ran its “most-watched basic cable network” streak to 24 weeks in total day and 22 weeks at No.1 in prime time. The record-setting audience it drew for its live coverage of President Trump’s Saturday night rally lifted the network to averaging the largest prime-time audience of any U.S. TV network last week, broadcast or cable.
MSNBC finished the week as the second-most-watched network on basic cable, averaging more than 2 million viewers, while CNN finished third in Total Viewers last week (1.67 million).
Cable news continues to rule.
Driven by the aforementioned live rally, which resulted in FNC’s most-watched Saturday night ever, the network was +14% in total prime-time viewers and +3% in total day viewers versus the previous week (the week of June 8). The network was also +25% in the prime-time demo and +5% in the total day demo from the prior week.
CNN finished this past week +4% in total prime-time viewers and +6% in total day versus the prior week. However, the network lost some traction in the demo: -6% in the prime-time demo and -2% in the total day demo.
MSNBC had a very nice week relative to the previous week. up in the key measurements: +11% in total prime-time viewers, +10% in total day viewers, -+1% in the prime-time demo and +3% in the total day demo
Compared to the same week in 2019, which also included a Trump 2020 campaign event (in Florida), all of three of the major cable newsers remained strong. One would expect that will continue as we approach the presidential election. As we approach the fall months, we’ll start comparing ratings performance versus 2016.
Fox News was +48% in prime-time viewers and +32% in total day viewers from the same week in 2019. The network was also +71% in the prime-time demo and +45% in the total day demo.
CNN remains in very good shape relative to this point in 2019, driven by what seems like a barrage of breaking news. The network was +95% in total prime-time viewers and +95% in total day versus the prior week, +140% in the prime-time demo and +123% in the total day demo.
MSNBC was up +33% in total prime-time viewers, +43% in total day viewers, +45% in the prime-time demo and +57% in the total day demo.
Nielsen live-plus-same-day numbers for the week of June 15 (Monday-Sunday):
PRIME TIME (8-11 p.m.)
| FNC | CNN | MSNBC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 3,798,000 | 1,665,000 | 2,022,000 |
| • A25-54: | 694,000 | 444,000 | 287,000 |
TOTAL DAY (6 a.m.-6 a.m.)
| FNC | CNN | MSNBC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Total Viewers: | 1,766,000 | 1,068,000 | 1,205,000 |
| • A25-54: | 324,000 | 279,000 | 180,000 |