Fox News Leads Cable News Domination of Weekly Cable Ratings

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

Led by Fox News, the cable news networks dominated the cable ratings landscape, sweeping the top three slots in primetime and total day last week as the coronavirus pandemic dominated the airwaves.

In primetime, Fox News was the most watched network on cable for the 11th straight week, averaging 4 million viewers for the period of March 30 to April 5, according to Nielsen. CNN finished a distant second with 2.2 million viewers, with MSNBC right behind with 2.1 million viewers. TLC and HGTV tied for fourth with 1.1 million viewers.

History and Hallmark Channel tied for sixth with 1 million viewers, followed by TBS (990,000 viewers), TNT (917,000), Food Network (891,000) and USA Network (823,000).

Fox News topped the total day charts for the 13th consecutive week, besting CNN, MSNBC, HGTV, Food Network and Hallmark Channel, said 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.