Cable News Nets Dominate February Ratings

Cable news networks dominated the February primetime ratings race with Fox News finishing as the most watched network and CNN posting the largest year-to- year gains.

Fox News averaged 2.18 million viewers for the period of  Feb. 1 to Feb. 28,  up 21% from the same period last year, according to Nielsen. USA finished second with 1.8 million viewers, down 8% from February 2015, followed by HGTV (1.7 million viewers, up 13% from the year prior).

CNN drew 1.5 million viewers, up a whopping 207% from February 2015, tying AMC, which was down 16% from last year.

AMC was the top choice among adults 18-49 in primetime, while TBS was tops among adults 25-54 during the month.

Fox News was the most watched network among adults 25-54, besting Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Adult Swim, and HGTV, according to Nielsen.

Most Watched Shows During The Month of February 2016

Date    Show                                                   Network                     Total Viewers

2/25   Texas GOP Debate                            CNN                            13.1 million

2/28   The Walking Dead                            AMC                            12.7 million

2/25   Texas GOP Debate                            CNN                              7.4 million

2/28   Talking Dead                                     AMC                              4.8 million

2/22   WWE Monday Night Raw                 USA                               4.2 million

2/26   Gold Rush                                           Discovery                     4.1 million

2/22   WWE Monday Night Raw                 USA                               4.0 million

2/25   Texas GOP Post-Debate                    CNN                              3.8 million

2/23   The O’Reilly Factor                            Fox News                      3.6 million

2/23   Fixer Upper                                       HGTV                            3.4 million

Source: Nielsen

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.