Left-leaning MSNBC beats Fox News as most-watched cable network during primetime slots

MSNBC has beaten Fox News as the most-watched cable television network in America.

According to figures from global research company Nielsen, left-leaning MSNBC was the most-watched station during the weekday prime evening slot from 7pm to midnight.

During this time the liberal network gained 2.34 million viewers between 17 and 21 July, while Fox News had 2.25 million.

The sought-after evening slots include shows from Fox presenters Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson.

The Rachel Maddow Show, which was the first television show to expose two pages of Donald Trump’s 2005 tax returns, also gained more viewers than Fox News and CNN for the fourth consecutive week in the prime slot between 9 to 10pm.

Fox News has suffered multiple allegations against its late CEO Roger Ailes and key anchors, and an outflow of women hosts to other networks, including Greta van Susteren to MSNBC and Megyn Kelly to NBC.

One of its most-watched presenters, Bill O’Reilly, was forced out of the network following the news that Fox had shelled out around $13 million to settle multiple allegations of sexual harassment over 20 years.

A spokesperson for Fox News could not be immediately reached for comment.

Nielsen also found that MSNBC’s Morning Joe was the most-watched show between 6 and 9am, winning the top spot for the 29th week out of 30 weeks and beating CNN’s New Day. As the show's relationship with the President shifted from presenting Donald Trump as a credible candidate to a "danger" for the Republic - and the hosts revealed they were in a relationship - the audience has grown by 50 per cent over the last year.

Mr Trump recently responded to criticism from Morning Joe hosts, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, by falsely accusing Ms Brzezinski of bleeding all over his country club while recovering from a face-lift.

Mr Trump's favourite network remains Fox News, and he has frequently highlighted their reporting on social media. It is one of the only networks to whom he, his family and top advisers grant interviews, with the President tweeting out information and conspiracy theories that can often be traced back to Fox News and other right-wing outlets.