Weekly Cable Ratings: Fox News Back on Top in Primetime

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ESPN, TNT remain among most watched networks in primetime

Fox News
(Image credit: Fox News)

Fox News Channel last week emerged as the most-watched cable network in primetime, breaking a four-week drought at the top spot.

The news network averaged 2 million viewers for the week of May 30 to June 5 to top last week’s winner, ESPN, which finished second with 1.5 million viewers, followed by TNT with 1.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

HGTV finished fourth with 983,000 viewers followed by History’s 842,000 watchers. Hallmark Channel (830,000 viewers), INSP (828,000), TLC (805,000), MSNBC (800,000) and Discovery Channel (737,000) rounded out the top 10 most watched cable networks in primetime last week.

Fox News blew away the competition in taking the top spot on the total day chart for the 22nd consecutive week. Fox News averaged 1.3 million viewers, more than doubling HGTV (562,000 viewers), MSNBC (556,000), ESPN (548,000) and Hallmark Channel (478,000), 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.