Weekly Cable Ratings: Fox News Recaptures Primetime, Total-Day Crowns

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ESPN falls to second place in primetime

The Five
Fox News Channel’s ‘The Five’ (Image credit: FNC)

Fox News Channel found its way back to the top spot of the cable ratings charts, ending a two-week run at the top by football-powered ESPN. 

Fox News averaged 1.7 million viewers in primetime for the week of September 18-24 to top all cable networks, according to Nielsen numbers supplied by Fox News. ESPN finished second with 1.5 million viewers, followed by MSNBC with 1.2 million watchers.

HGTV pulled into fourth with 864,000 viewers, while Hallmark Channel settled into fifth place with 734,000 viewers. TBS and TLC tied for sixth with 649,000 viewers, followed by INSP (637,000 viewers), Food Network (570,000) and USA Network (535,000). 

Fox News’s average of 1 million total-day viewers was enough to secure sole possession of first place after tying ESPN for first place on the chart last week. MSNBC was second with 801,000 viewers, followed by ESPN (704,000), HGTV (442,000) and CNN (419,000), according to 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.