Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC Continue Unprecedented Dominance of Cable, Sweeping the Top Three Spots Respectively in July A25-54 Ratings
Call it the Covid effect.
The July monthly ratings show the unprecedented dominance of news programming in the era of coronavirus continues apace, as Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC swept the top three spots on cable TV in the coveted 25 –54 age demographic respectively, beating all entertainment and sports channels. Similarly, the three cable news networks topped cable ratings in overall viewers, with Fox retaining first while MSNBC and CNN swapped places.
According to Nielsen Media Research, Fox News averaged 275,000 viewers in the demo across total day in July, edging out CNN’s 252,000, and MSNBC’s 174,000. The three cable networks also scored first, second, and third in total cable viewers for the month, with Fox News pulling in 1.63 million in total day, MSNBC had 1.20 million, and CNN with 994,000. By contrast, HGTV came in a distant fourth in cable ratings for the month with 685,000 total viewers while regular ratings juggernaut ESPN — devoid of almost any sports to cover — fell to 26th, with 251,000 viewers.
In primetime, Fox News also triumphed and surpassed all broadcast TV programming for the second month in a row with 521,000 viewers, on average, in the demo and 3.22 million overall viewers. Leading the charge for the network in the A25- 54 category between 8:00 and 11:00 p.m was Tucker Carlson Tonight, which topped all competitors with 695,000 viewers. Altogether, that network had six shows in the cable top 10 in the demo. In total audience, Fox’s Hannity led all of cable news in July by averaging 4.10 million viewers and Fox, likewise, placed six shows in the top 10 in overall cable audience for the month. Six Fox News programs all had their highest-rated July ever — including Hannity, Carlson, and The Ingraham Angle. And in addition to the high numbers posted by Fox’s primetime line-up, the network’s other ratings standouts included its three pre-primetime programs, The Five, Special Report with Bret Baier, and The Story with Martha MacCallum.
But Fox was far from the only network to enjoy a banner month. MSNBC saw 40% ratings growth from July 2019, besting Fox in year-over-year change in both total viewers (41% vs. 19%) and in the demo (40% vs. 16%). Additionally, The Rachel Maddow Show scored its best-ever month in total viewers with 3.50 million, thanks to its best-ever night of ratings in an interview of Mary Trump. TRMS was also the only non-Fox show to crack the cable news top five in the demo, averaging 498,000 A25 – 54 viewers for the month.
CNN’s entire primetime line-up also placed in the cable news top 10, led by sixth-place Cuomo Prime Time‘s 480,000 viewers in the demo. AndersonCooper 360 followed close behind in seventh with 418,000 viewers and CNN Tonight with Don Lemon came in 10th overall with 380,000 viewers.
