Weekly Cable Ratings: Fox News Tops Charts

Fox News' Sean Hannity (Image credit: Fox News)

Fox News topped all cable networks in both primetime and total day during the week before Thanksgiving, Nielsen reported.

Fox News averaged 3 million viewers in primetime during the week of Nov. 16 to Nov. 22, topping sports network ESPN’s 2.6 million viewers for the top spot, said Nielsen. MSNBC finished third with 2.2 million, while CNN garnered 2 million viewers.

Hallmark Channel was the most watched entertainment-based network for the week with 1.4 million viewers, followed by HGTV’s 1 million viewers. TBS (979,000), History (887,000), TLC (883,000) and Food Network (846,000) rounded out the top 10 most watched networks in primetime for the week.

Fox News regained the top spot on a 24-hour basis last week, stopping CNN’s two-week winning streak. CNN, MSNBC, Hallmark Channel and ESPN followed closely behind.

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.