Weekly Cable Ratings: Fox News Floats To Primetime, Total-Day Chart Wins

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

ESPN finishes second in primetime

Fox News 2023
Fox News coverage of the suspected Chinese spy balloon cut down off the coast of South Carolina. (Image credit: Fox News)

Fox News Channel swept the basic cable primetime and total-day ratings charts for the second consecutive week, according to Nielsen.

Fox News averaged 2.2 million viewers in primetime for the week of January 30-February 5 for its second consecutive win, besting ESPN and MSNBC, which tied for second place with 1 million viewers, according to Nielsen. 

HGTV was fourth with 921,000 viewers, with Hallmark Channel’s right behind at 816,000 viewers. History finished in sixth place with 765,000 viewers, followed by INSP (750,000), TNT (738,000), TBS (667,000) and USA Network (629,000), reported Nielsen.

On the total-day front, Fox News notched its fifth straight win with an average of 1.4 million viewers, more than doubling second place MSNBC’s  677,000 viewer output. ESPN (566,000 viewers), CNN (487,000) and HGTV (487,000) rounded out the top five most watched networks in the category, 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.