ESPN Repeats as Weekly Cable Ratings Champ

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ESPN was cable’s most watched network last week in primetime among total viewers for the second consecutive week, Nielsen said.

Led by its Monday Night Football coverage, ESPN averaged 2.7 million primetime viewers during the week of Sept. 10 to Sept. 17, said Nielsen. Fox News was second with 2.4 million viewers, followed by MSNBC (2.1 million) and HGTV and USA Network (tied with 1.3 million). CNN (1.2 million), NFL Network (1.1 million), The Weather Channel and History (tied with 1.0 million), and Hallmark Channel (995,000) rounded out the top 10 most watched shows for the week.

Fox News was the most watched cable network on a 24-hour basis last week, the 36th consecutive win for the cable news channel. MSNBC, ESPN, The Weather Channel and CNN finished in the top five, said Nielsen. 

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.