ESPN ended its coverage of the 2022 college football season at the top of the primetime ratings chart.

Bolstered by the more than 16 million viewers who tuned into Georgia’s blowout of TCU in the January 9 College Football Playoff National Championship game, ESPN averaged 3 million viewers in primetime during the week of January 9-15 to top all cable networks for the second week in a row, according to Nielsen.

Fox News Channel finished second with 2.2 million viewers, followed by MSNBC’s 1 million viewers, Hallmark Channel’s 870,000 viewers and HGTV’s 838,000 watchers. 

Rounding out the top 10 most watched networks in primetime were History (764,000 viewers), TBS (661,000), INSP (655,000), TLC (651,000) and TNT (624,000), said the network.

Fox News topped the total-day chart for the second week in a row, averaging 1.4 million viewers. ESPN was second with 881,000 viewers, followed by MSNBC (659,000), Hallmark Channel (461,000) and HGTV (459,000), reported Nielsen. ■  

ESPN's college football and U.S. Open tennis tournament coverage helped propel the sports network to its second straight weekly primetime cable ratings win during the first full week of September.

ESPN averaged 2.6 million viewers for the week of September 5 to September 11 to top all cable networks, according to Nielsen. Fox News finished second for the week with 2 million viewers, followed by MSNBC with 1 million viewers and HGTV with 877,000 viewers.

Hallmark Channel was the fifth most-watched network for the week with 800,000 viewers, followed by ESPN2 (773,000 viewers), INSP (753,000), TLC (747,000), CNN (696,000) and USA Network (668,000).

Fox News extended its total day winning streak to 36 weeks, averaging 1.3 million viewers for the period. ESPN (1 million viewers), MSNBC (721,000), CNN (605,000) and HGTV (491,000), finished among the top five most watched cable networks in the period, according to Nielsen. ■ 

The dog days of summer haven’t slowed down the cable news networks’ domination of the weekly primetime and total day ratings charts.

Fox News and MSNBC topped both the primetime and total day charts during the week of August 15 to August 22, marking the sixth consecutive week the two news networks occupied the top positions, according to Nielsen.

In primetime, Fox News finished first with 2.3 million viewers – its 12 consecutive week in the top slot – followed by MSNBC with 1.3 million viewers. ESPN finished third with 887,000 viewers, followed by HGTV’s 872,000 viewers and Hallmark Channel’s 870,000 watchers.

TLC (766,000 viewers), CNN (750,000,) INSP (720,000) NFL Network (709,000) and TBS (673,000) rounded out the top 10 most watched networks in primetime.

On a total day basis, Fox News ran its consecutive winning streak to 33 weeks with an average of 1.4 million viewers. MSNBC (822,000 viewers) and CNN (564,000) finished second and third respectively, followed by HGTV (479,000) and Hallmark Channel (470,000), reported Nielsen. 

TBS rode its March Madness basketball tournament coverage to a first place finish on last week’s cable primetime ratings chart, according to Nielsen.

TBS, which air live games from rounds three and four of the men’s college basketball tournament, averaged 2.9 million viewers in primetime for the week of March 21 to March 27, stopping Fox News’ nine-week winning streak in the category. The cable news network finished second with 2.9 million viewers, followed by MSNBC and HGTV, which tied with 1.1 million viewers. 

CNN finished fifth with 889,000 viewers, followed by ESPN (862,000 viewers), TLC (840,000), INSP (774,000), Discovery Channel (768,000) and History (748,000), said Nielsen.  

Fox News held off TBS on a total day basis to remain undefeated in 2022. MSNBC, CNN and HGTV rounded out the top five most watched networks in the category, reported Nielsen. ■  

ESPN dethroned Fox News Channel at the top of last week’s primetime ratings chart, but the news network continued its domination on a 24-hour basis, according to Nielsen.

ESPN averaged 2.7 million viewers during the week of Sept. 20-26 to lead all cable networks and end Fox News’s hold on the top spot at 11 weeks, reported Nielsen. ESPN was led by its Sept. 20 Green Bay Packers-Detroit Lions Monday Night Football telecast, which drew more than 13 million viewers. 

Fox News finished second with 2.4 million viewers, followed by MSNBC with 1.3 million viewers. NFL Network moved into fourth place with 1.1 million viewers, followed by HGTV’s 957,000 watchers. TLC (847,000 viewers), Discovery Channel (789,000), CNN (776,000), Hallmark Channel (775,000) and INSP (729,000) rounded out the top 10 most-watched cable networks in primetime.

Fox News rolled over the competition on the total-day charts, averaging 1.4 million viewers to finish first for the 31st consecutive week. ESPN (839,000 viewers), MSNBC (731,000), HGTV (581,000) and CNN (549,000) followed behind Fox News, said Nielsen. 

Fox News Channel carried its summer ratings momentum into September with another weekly sweep of the cable primetime and total day ratings charts.

Fox News averaged 2.6 million viewers during the week of Aug. 30 to Sept. 5, more than doubling second place MSNBC’s 1.2 million viewers for its ninth consecutive win in the category, according to Nielsen. ESPN rode its college football game coverage into a third place finish with 1.1 million viewers, followed by HGTV’s 1 million viewers, and TLC’s 935,000 watchers.

Also Read: TV By The Numbers: College Football Scores Watch-Time, Impressions Wins for Week One 

INSP finished sixth with 908,000 viewers, followed by CNN (876,000), Hallmark Channel (855,000), USA Network (787,000) and ESPN2 (692,000). 

On a 24-hour basis, Fox News’s 1.5 million average viewers topped the chart for its 29th consecutive week,  trumping MSNBC (744,000), CNN (653,000), ESPN (620,000) and HGTV (598,000).

 Fox News opened the first full week of April in first place on both the primetime and total day charts, according to Nielsen. 

Fox News averaged 2.1 million primetime viewers to top all cable networks for the week of April 5 to April 11, reported Nielsen. MSNBC was a distant second with 1.6 million viewers, followed by HGTV with 1.1 million viewers. CNN finished fourth with 1 million viewers followed by TBS with 986,000 watchers.

Hallmark Channel (873,000), History (852,000), ESPN (780,000), Food Network (769,000) and Discovery Channel (749,000) rounded out the top 10 most watched networks in primetime.

Fox News also triumphed on a total day basis, averaging 1.1 million viewers to best MSNBC’s 959,000 viewers, as well as CNN (752,000 viewers), HGTV (649,000) and ESPN (483,000). 

The cable news networks continue to dominate the weekly ratings charts as Fox News, CNN and MSNBC take the top spots on the primetime and total day charts, according to Nielsen.

Fox News regained the top spot in primetime, averaging 3.4 million viewers during the week of Nov. 9 to Nov. 15 to top the 2.3 million viewers garnered by CNN, which took the top spot in the category last week, according to Nielsen. MSNBC finished a close third with 2.2 million viewers.

Cable news shows represented all but five of the top 50 most-watched shows for the week, led by Fox News’s Tucker Carlson Tonight. 

Related: Trump Reportedly Looking to Take on Fox News with Streaming Channel

ESPN finished fourth for the week in primetime with 2.1 million viewers, followed by Hallmark Channel with 1.6 million viewers.

CNN topped the total day charts for the second straight week, topping Fox News and MSNBC. Hallmark Channel and ESPN rounded out the top five most-watched networks on a 24-hour basis, said Nielsen. 

Fox News continues to dominate the weekly cable ratings race as the industry moves closer to election day.

Fox News, led by its coverage of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, was the most watched network in primetime with 4.3 million viewers during the week of Oct. 12 to Oct. 18, nearly doubling second place MSNBC’s 2.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen. ESPN placed third with 2.1 million viewers, followed by TBS’ 2 million and CNN’s 1.8 million watchers, reported Nielsen.

Fox Sports 1 entered the top 10 on the strength of its baseball playoffs coverage in sixth place with 1.5 million viewers, followed by HGTV (1.2 million viewers), TLC and Hallmark Channel (tied with 1 million) and USA Network (784,000). 

Fox News also racked up its 41st straight weekly win on a 24-hour basis, besting MSNBC, CNN, ESPN and TBS, said Nielsen. 

Fox News topped the primetime ratings charts for the 30th consecutive week as it continues to dominate its cable network competitors.

The news network averaged 3.3 million viewers during the week of Aug. 10 to Aug. 16, topping MSNBC’s 2 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

HGTV and CNN tied for third with 1.3 million viewers, followed by TLC’s 1.2 million viewers. Discovery Channel (901,000 viewers), Hallmark Channel (871,000), TBS Network (866,000), TNT (845,000) and History (832,000) round out the top 10 most watched networks for the week.

Fox News drew 1.7 million viewers during the week for its 33rd consecutive win in the category, according to Nielsen. MSNBC, CNN, HGTV and Investigation Discovery all charted in the top five for the week, reported Nielsen. 

Fox News continued its strong February ratings performance last week, sweeping cable’s primetime and total day charts, according to Nielsen.

Fox News, led by its Feb. 22 coverage of the Nevada caucuses, averaged 3 million viewers in primetime during the week of Feb. 17 to Feb. 23, besting competing cable news network MSNBC which finished second with 2.2 million viewers, said Nielsen. Discovery Communications -owned networks rounded out the top five with HGTV and TLC (tied with 1.1 million viewers) and Discovery Channel (1 million viewers.)

A&E Network (1 million viewers), History (994,000), Hallmark Channel (977,000), CNN (971,000), and TBS Network (966,000), rounded out the top 10 most watched networks for the week.

Fox News’ average 1.7 million viewers on a total day basis for the week was enough to defeat MSNBC, HGTV, CNN, Nickelodeon and A&E Network, according to Nielsen. 

Fox News continued its domination of the cable weekly ratings charts, winning both the primetime and total day races for the week of Aug. 13-19, according to Nielsen.

Fox news averaged 2.2 million viewers in primetime last week, easily besting MSNBC’s 1.8 million viewers, according to Nielsen. HGTV and USA Network finished third with 1.3 million viewers, followed by ESPN’s 1.2 million watchers.

History (1.1 million viewers), Discovery Channel and CNN (1 million viewers each), Investigation Discovery (987,000) and A&E network (974,000) rounded out the top 10 most watched networks in primetime.

Fox News 1.3 million viewers on a total day basis was the most for any cable network for the 32 consecutive week. MSNBC, Nickelodeon, HGTV and Investigation Discovery followed closely behind, according to Nielsen. 

Fox News continues to heat up the summer with another sweep of the weekly cable ratings race.

Fox News was the most watched cable network in primetime among total viewers for the 10 consecutive week, averaging 2.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen. MSNBC was second with 1.6 million viewers, followed by HGTV and USA Network (1.3 million) and Hallmark (1 million), said Nielsen.

The network also drew 1.3 million viewers on a total day basis, topping the chart for a whopping 30th consecutive week, according to Nielsen. Nickelodeon (1 million); MSNBC (970,000), HGTV (789,000) and Investigation Discovery (685,000) rounded out the top five most-watched networks on a total day basis, said Nielsen. 

With the college football playoff semifinals returning to New Year’s Day, ratings on ESPN jumped from last year when the games aired on New Year’s Eve.

ESPN said 26.8 million people watched the 2018 Rose Bowl Monday as Georgia beat Oklahoma 54-48 in overtime; with an audience up 39% from last year's Rose Bowl, the game was the fifth most watched cable telecast of all time.

Related: Georgia-Oklahoma Rose Bowl Telecast Scores on Social Media

The Georgia-Oklahoma game trailed only the 2015 Championship game between Oregon and Ohio State, the 2011 Championship game between Oregon and Auburn, and the two semi-final games in 2015, the last time the games were played on New Year’s Day.

Monday’s other semifinal, the 2018 Sugar Bowl with Alabama beating Clemson 24-6, drew 21.1 million viewers, up 10% from the comparable game last year.

Related: Four Trends in Play for Cable Sports

ESPN aired a total of six bowl games on Monday and said they averaged nearly 15 million viewers. The network anticipates the games will comprise the most-watched "New Year’s Eve Six" ever once the streaming audience is fully reported.

The currently available metrics show viewership up 9% from last year and up 24% from the 2015 season.

Fox News took top primetime ratings honors last week as President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremonies last Friday proved to be a ratings boondoggle for the major cable news networks.

Fox News averaged 3.9 million viewers, topping competing cable news network CNN for first place during the week of Jan. 16 to Jan. 22, according to Nielsen. Fox News’ Jan. 20 coverage of President Trump’s inauguration ceremonies also accounted for 14 of the top 15 most watched shows for the week, Nielsen said.

HGTV finished third for the week with 1.6 million viewers, followed by USA Network’s 1.5 million viewers.

Discovery Channel and MSNBC tied for fifth with 1.4 million viewers each, followed by TBS and History (tied with 1.3 million viewers each); TNT (1.2 million) and Investigation Discovery, ESPN and Disney Channel (all tied with 1.1 million viewers), according to Nielsen.

Fox News was also the most watched network on a 24-hour basis for the week, while TBS was the top choice among adults 18-49, according to Nielsen.

The new Caitlyn Jenner E! reality series I Am Cait premiered to 2.7 million viewers Sunday.

The first episode of the eight-part, one-hour documentary series, which follows Jenner living her life as a transgender woman, drew a 1.2 rating among adults 18-49, leading all original cable programs Sunday.

Discovery’s Naked and Afraid XL was down a tenth, nabbing a 1.1 rating and 2.9 million viewers to come in second.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.