Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 2

Fox News Tops August TV Ratings With 2.6 Million Primetime Viewers for Second Summer

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 2

Fox News Tops August TV Ratings With 2.6 Million Primetime Viewers for Second Summer

Q: How did a single cable channel manage to steal the primetime crown from traditional broadcast giants this summer?

Fox News took the summer primetime crown by doing something unusual in today’s TV market: building a highly loyal audience across the entire day and then carrying that momentum into the evening, when the broadcast networks were comparatively weak. Nielsen data show Fox averaged about 2.6 million weekday primetime viewers since the start of summer, slightly ahead of NBC’s 2.5 million, ABC’s 2.3 million and CBS’ 2 million. That edge was powered by a deep bench of consistently strong shows, not a single breakout hit. “The Five” led cable news with roughly 3.3 million viewers in August, while “Jesse Watters Primetime,” “Gutfeld!,” “Special Report,” “Hannity” and “The Ingraham Angle” all outdrew every program on CNN and MS NOW. Fox placed 13 of the 15 most-watched cable news shows in August. Its advantage was also structural. “FOX & Friends” remained the top cable news morning show for a 66th straight month, and Fox’s daytime lineup posted similarly strong numbers. That means the network was feeding primetime with viewers who were already tuned in, rather than relying on one time slot alone. At the same time, the broadcast networks were having an unusually soft summer, with several posting historic or near-historic lows in primetime. In that environment, Fox’s stable, personality-driven lineup and audience loyalty allowed a single cable channel—available in fewer homes than broadcast—to outperform larger traditional rivals in weekday evening viewing.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 2

Fox News averaged 2.6 million weekday primetime viewers over the summer, beating NBC’s 2.5 million, ABC’s 2.3 million and CBS’ 2.0 million for a second straight summer.
In August alone, the channel drew 1.4 million total-day viewers and 2.1 million in primetime, far ahead of MS NOW at 599,000 and 940,000 and CNN at 439,000 and 624,000.
"The Five" led cable news with 3.3 million viewers, while "Jesse Watters Primetime" averaged 2.9 million and Fox placed 13 of the 15 most-watched cable news programs.
"FOX & Friends" held the top morning-show spot for a 66th consecutive month with 1.2 million viewers, as Fox also beat CNN and MS NOW on weekends in total viewers and adults 25-54.