Fox News Channel dominates cable news as CNN, MSNBC collapse to embarrassing weekly lows

Fox News Channel averaged 1.4 million total day viewers and two million during primetime to dominate cable news last week, while executives at MSNBC and CNN didn’t have much to be thankful for as both networks hit a plethora of historic viewership lows. 

CNN had its lowest-rated week among total viewers since June 2001 during the week of November 25, averaging only 268,000 compared to 1.4 million for Fox News. 

MSNBC managed 346,000 average total viewers, thumping CNN in the category despite dramatic viewership woes in other measurables. It was much of the same during primetime, as MSNBC averaged 465,000 total viewers while CNN drew only 297,000 as both networks finished with less than half of Fox News’ audience combined. 

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Despite a busy news cycle, CNN had a smaller average audience from 8-11 p.m. than 29 other cable networks, including Bravo, TV Land, Freeform Investigation Discovery, FX, Food Network and History. 

Since President-elect Donald Trump’s Election Day victory, Fox News holds 73% of the cable news audience in primetime as MSNBC and CNN’s audiences have seen viewers tune out the news. 

CNN had its lowest-rated week among the key demographic of adults aged 25-54 in nearly 30 years, averaging a dismal 41,000 viewers from the group coveted by advertisers. But MSNBC was even worse in the critical category, averaging only 29,000 total day viewers among the demo. 

MSNBC had a smaller audience among the demo than 36 other cable options, including Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, E!, The Cartoon Network, Oxygen, MTV, Hallmark Mystery and a pair of Lifetime networks. It was MSNBC’s worst week among the demo since November 1997. 

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Fox News thrived as CNN and MSNBC struggled, resulting in FNC’s highest share of the cable news audience among the key demo in network history with an average audience of 163,000 viewers aged 25-54 for a staggering 70% share. 

During primetime, Fox News averaged 237,000 demo viewers compared to only 51,000 for CNN, which finished behind 33 different cable options. 

MSNBC managed only 37,000 average primetime demo viewers to finish No. 43 among cable outlets. It was MSNBC’s lowest-rated week in the category since December 1997. 

"The Five," with Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, Dana Perino, Jeanine Pirro and rotating co-hosts Jessica Tarlov and Harold Ford Jr., averaged 4.1 million total viewers and 420,000 among the demo to finish as the No. 1 cable news program of the week in both categories. 

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"Special Report with Bret Baier," "The Ingraham Angle," "Jesse Watters Primetime," Hannity," "Gutfeld!" and "FOX News @ Night" all had dominant weeks, too, as Fox News was home to 98 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the week. 

"Outnumbered," Martha MacCallum’s "The Story," "The Faulkner Focus," "America’s Newsroom" with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino and "America Reports" with John Roberts and Sandra Smith helped Fox News’ daytime lineup outdraw many broadcast competition in addition to MSNBC and CNN offerings. 

"Cavuto Live" averaged 1.3 million to finish as Saturday’s most-watched show on cable news and "Sunday Morning Futures" averaged 1.8 million to take the weekend crown. 

For the week, Fox News thumped CNN by 407% among total day viewers and 577% during primetime viewers and crushed MSNBC by 293% with total day viewers and 334% during primetime viewers.

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All data courtesy of Nielsen Media Research.