FNC Wins Seventh Straight Weekly Ratings Race

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Fox News Channel continues its ratings roll in 2016, winning its seventh consecutive primetime cable ratings race, according to Nielsen.

FNC, on the strength of its March 3 Republican presidential debate -- which drew nearly 17 million viewers -- averaged 4.2 million viewers during the week of Feb. 29 to March 6 and bested competing cable news network CNN, which finished second with 2.1 million viewers, said Nielsen.

HGTV and AMC tied for third with 1.6 million viewers each, while TBS and USA Network rounded out the top five with 1.5 million viewers each.

Disney Channel and TNT (tied with 1.4 million viewers), Discovery Channel (1.3 million), ESPN (1.2 million), History and MSNBC (tied with 1.1 million) finished among the top 10 most watched networks for the week.

Fox News was also the top choice for viewers on a 24-hour basis as well as among adults 25-54 and 18-49.

Most Watched Cable Shows Feb. 29-March 6

DateShowNetworkTotal Viewers

3/3     Republican Presidential Debate                  Fox News                    16.8 million

3/6     The Walking Dead                                       AMC                            12.8 million

3/3     The O’Reilly Factor                                      Fox News                      7.1 million

3/6     Michigan Democratic Debate                       CNN                              5.5 million

3/3     The O’Reilly Factor                                      Fox News                      5.4 million

3/1     AEHQ: Super Tuesday                                Fox News                      5.1 million

3/1     AEHQ: Super Tuesday                                Fox News                      4.8 million

3/6     Talking Dead                                                AMC                              4.8 million

3/1     AEHQ: Super Tuesday                                  Fox News                      4.6 million

3/1     America’s Choice 2016                                 CNN                              3.9 million

Source: 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.