ESPN scored its second straight primetime weekly cable ratings win in a week that included big returns from CNN's Republican Presidential debate.
The 24-hour sports network again rode its NFL Monday Night Football coverage to average 4.3 million subscribers for the week of Sept. 14 to Sept. 20, according to network officials.
ESPN was also the most watched network on a 24-hour basis as well as with adults 18-49
CNN’s Sept. 16 coverage of the second Republican Presidential Debate – which drew a network record 23 million viewers – helped the news network finish second for the week with 3.7 million viewers, while Fox News ended up a distant third with 1.6 million viewers.
Disney Channel placed fourth with 1.5 million, followed by USA Network and TBS, which both averaged 1.4 million watchers to tie for fifth.
HGTV (1.2 million); History (1.1 million); and FX and AMC rounded out the top 10 most watched shows for the week.
Most Watched Cable Shows For Week Of Sept. 14-20
DateShow Network Total Viewers
9/16 Reagan GOP Presidential Debate CNN 23 million
9/14 MNF –Minnesota-San Francisco ESPN 14.3 million
9/14 MNF – Philadelphia-Atlanta ESPN 13.5 million
9/16 Anderson Cooper 360 Debate Special CNN 10.8 million
9/19 College Football Ole Miss-Alaba ESPN 7.6 million
9/20 Fear The Walking Dead AMC 6.6 million
9/16 Reagan GOP Presidential Early Debate CNN 6.2 million
9/16 Regan GOP Early Debate Special CNN 4.5 million
9/16 AC360 Post Debate Special CNN 4.4 million
9/17 Thursday Night football (Den.-KC.) ESPN 4.1million
Source: Nielsen
