Weekly Cable Ratings: Fox News Channel’s New Primetime Lineup Debut Fuels Ratings Sweep

Fox News Primetime Hosts
(Image credit: Fox News)

Fox News Channel’s new primetime programming lineup helped the network remain at the top of both the cable primetime and total day charts last week.

Fox News averaged 1.8 million viewers in primetime during the week of July 17 to July 23 to top all cable networks for the fourth consecutive week, according to Nielsen numbers supplied by Fox News. The network was led by the July 17 launch of its revamped 8 pm to 11 pm lineup, featuring shows  Jesse Watters Primetime, Hannity, and Gutfeld!. Adding in its 7 p.m. series The Ingraham Angle and its 11 p.m. show Fox News @ Night with Trace Gallagher, Fox News averaged 2.1 million viewers for its 7 pm to 11 p.m. lineup, besting competing cable networks CNN and MSNBC in total viewers.

MSNBC finished second in primetime with 1.2 million viewers, followed by Hallmark Channel with 739,000 viewers, INSP with 711,000 viewers, and HGTV with 671,000 watchers.

Rounding out the top 10 most-watched networks in primetime were History (660,000 viewers), TLC (631,000), USA Network (608,000), Discovery Channel (567,000), and TBS (553,000).

On a 24-hour basis, Fox News extended its winning streak to 29 weeks with an average of 1.1 million viewers. MSNBC was a distant second with 779,000 viewers, followed by Hallmark Channel (475,000), USA Network (441,000), and CNN (426,000). 

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.