Fox News Closes March with Record Weekly Ratings Mark

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

Fox News hit another ratings home run last week, setting yearly audience highs in total day and in primetime as viewers tune in to the network’s ongoing coronavirus coverage, according to Nielsen.

Fox News averaged 4.2 million viewers for the week of March 23-29, besting second place MSNBC’s 2.3 million viewers and third place CNN’s 2.1 million watchers, said Nielsen. The win was Fox News’ 10th straight in the primetime ratings category.

HGTV was fourth with 1.2 million viewers, followed by TLC, Hallmark Channel, TBS and History with 1 million viewers each.

On the total day front, Fox News drew 2.6 million viewers to win the category for the 12 consecutive week. CNN and MSNBC both garnered more than 1.4 million viewers to finish second and third respectively. 

Fox News was paced by its primetime shows Hannity, which notched its highest-rated week in total viewers since the program’s inception and its highest-rated in the demo since the 2017 Inauguration, and Tucker Carlson Tonight, which brought in a record 4.9 million viewers and 1 million in the demo for the show, 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.