Fox News Wins Fifth Straight Weekly Ratings Race

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Fox News was triumphant once again on the weekly ratings front, winning its fifth straight primetime weekly ratings race.

The news network’s average 1.86 million viewers barely bested ESPN’s 1.82 million watchers to finish in the top spot during the month on Aug. 31 to Sept. 6, according to Nielsen.

Disney Channel finished third with 1.5 million viewers, followed by HGTV and USA Network, which tied with 1.4 million viewers. TBS and History matched each other for fifth place for 1.3 million, while TNT followed closely with 1.2 million. ESPN2 (1.1 million) and Adult Swim (1 million) rounded out the top 10.

Nickelodeon topped Fox News on a total day basis, followed by Disney, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network.

TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles was the top-rated show of the week, while Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor placed two episodes among the top 10 most watched shows during the period, according to Nielsen.

DateShowNetworkTotal Viewers

9/1         Rizzoli & Isles                                                TNT                                        4.7 million

8/31       WWE Monday Night Raw                             USA                                       3.9 million

8/31       WWE Monday Night Raw                             USA                                       3.8 million

8/31       WWE Monday Night Raw                             USA                                       3.8 million

9/3         College Football (Live)                                  ESPN                                    3.6 million

8/31       Love & Hip Hop Atlanta                                 VH1                                        3.4 million

8/31       The O’Reilly Factor                                         Fox News                             3.3 million

9/1         The Haves and The Have Nots                    OWN                                     3.2 million

9/5         College Football (Live)                                   ESPN                                    3.2 million

9/2         The O’Reilly Factor                                          Fox News                            3.0 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.