Weekly Cable Ratings: TNT Overtakes Fox News in Primetime

By R. Thomas Umstead
last updated

NBA Playoffs coverage puts TNT, ESPN among top three most watched networks on primetime, total day charts

Memphis-Golden State
Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies shoots against Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors (Image credit: Getty Images)

Fox News’ one-week ratings winning streak in primetime is over as TNT once again rode its NBA playoffs coverage to the top of the chart.

TNT averaged 2.9 million subscribers in primetime during the period of May 2 to May 8 to finish with top honors, topping second place Fox News’ 2.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen. Sports network ESPN, which along with TNT is airing second round NBA playoff games, finished third with 1.3 million viewers.

Also: ABC Wins Watch-Time, Impressions With NFL Draft and NBA Playoffs: TV By the Numbers

HGTV finished fourth with 1 million viewers, followed by MSNBC’s 996,000 viewers and INSP’s 848,000 viewers. History (819,000 viewers), Hallmark Channel (792,000), TLC (781,000) and Discovery Channel (717,000) rounded out the top 10 most watched cable networks in primetime.

Fox News ran its streak of consecutive today total day wins to 18 weeks with an average of 1.4 million viewers, followed by TNT (835,000), MSNBC (631,000), ESPN (728,000) and HGTV (552,000), reported 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.