Weekly Cable Ratings: Fox News Ends February Atop Primetime, Total Day Charts

Gutfeld
‘Gutfeld!’ on Fox News Channel (Image credit: Fox News)

Fox News Channel heads into the month of March with ratings momentum, having swept both the primetime and total-day charts each week during the month of February.

The news networks averaged 2 million viewers in primetime for the week of February 20 to February 27 for its fifth straight win in the category, according to Nielsen. ESPN and MSNBC finished in a tie for second place with 1 million viewers.

HGTV pulled into the fourth spot with 936,000 viewers, followed by History, with 805,000 watchers.

INSP finished sixth with 745,000 viewers, followed by Hallmark Channel (742,000 viewers), USA Network (683,000), Food Network (679,000) and TBS (668,000), said Nielsen.

Fox News made it seven straight weeks at the top of the total-day chart with 1.3 million viewers, followed by MSNBC (689,000 viewers), ESPN (505,000), HGTV (496,000) and CNN (462,000), Nielsen said. ■  

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.