Fox News Channel Tops Basic Cable In 2018; Sean Hannity Leads Lineup
Fox News Channel will notch its most watched primetime year in its 22-year history, with an average of 2.5 million viewers. Donald Trump’s fave network marks its third consecutive year as basic cable’s most watched network, both in primetime and in total day (1.4 million).
MSNBC, meanwhile averaged 1.8 million primetime viewers, 991K in total day. CNN averaged 990K in primetime and 704K for total day.
Fox News Channel’s overall audience size grew 3% in primetime, but decreased 4% in total day. In the news demo, FNC dropped 2% in primetime and 10% in total day.
MSNBC gained 12% more viewers in both primetime and total day, but, in the news demo, dipped 3% in primetime and 2% in total day.
CNN’s overall audience tumbled 6% in primetime, 9% in total day, and fumbled 11% in the news demo in prime and 16% in total
day.
Trump’s primetime pal Sean Hannity clocks a second consecutive year as host of cable news’s most watched primetime program, averaging 3.28M viewers. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow placed second with 2.88M watching.
FNC’s Tucker Carlson (2.83M), Laura Ingraham (2.61M) and The Five (2.38M) rounded out the Top 5.
CNN’s Chris Cuomo was that network’s most watched primetime program, at No. 9 (1.18M).
The 2018 post midterm election data may portend change.
Comparing the five weeks after the election to the five weeks before, MSNBC climbed 16% in total viewers and 10% in the news demo, and CNN grew 9% and 5%, respectively. Meanwhile, Fox News Channel tumbled 16% in viewers and 23% in the demo.
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