Weekly Cable Ratings: ESPN Rolls to Second Straight Primetime Ratings Win

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Fox News regains top billing on total day charts

ESPN logo
(Image credit: ESPN)

ESPN topped the weekly primetime cable charts for the first full week of the new year and second straight week overall, according to Nielsen.

The sports network averaged 3.5 million viewers to top all cable networks for the week of January 3 to January 9, reported Nielsen. Fox News finished second with 2.3 million viewers, followed by MSNBC’s 1.2 million watchers. 

Hallmark Channel and HGTV tied for fourth place with 1.1 million viewers, followed by TLC with 880,000 viewers. INSP (842,000), TBS (761,000), History (744,000), and Discovery Channel (738,000) rounded out the top 10 most-watched networks in primetime.

Also: Fox News Taps Jesse Watters to Permanently Host 'Fox News Primetime'

Fox News climbed back into the top spot on the 24-hour ratings chart after ESPN last week snapped the news network’s 45-week winning streak. ESPN finished second, followed by MSNBC, HGTV and Hallmark Channel, 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.