Weekly Cable Ratings: Fox News Cruises to August Ratings Sweep

Greg Gutfeld on Fox News
(Image credit: Fox News)

Fox News capped an impressive summer run with a sweep of the weekly cable ratings charts for August, according to Nielsen.

Fox News averaged 2.2 million viewers in primetime for the week of August 22 to August 28 to top the chart for the 13th consecutive week, reported Nielsen. MSNBC finished second for the week with 1.3 million viewers, followed by ESPN with 1 million viewers.

HGTV was the most watched entertainment-based network with 944,000, followed by NFL Network, which rode its live NFL pre-season game coverage to a fifth place finish with 769,000 viewers.

TBS finished sixth with 745,000 viewers, followed by Hallmark Channel (743,000 viewers), TLC (734,000), INSP (722,000) and USA Network (685,000). 

The three cable news networks led the total day chart, with Fox News finishing first for the 34th consecutive week with 1.4 million viewers, followed by MSNBC with 820,000 viewers and CNN with 524,000 watchers. HGTV (499,000 viewers) and ESPN (466,000) rounded out the top five most-watched networks on the chart, said Nielsen. ■  

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.

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