For the 146th consecutive month (that’s over 12 years), Fox News had more viewers, in both daytime and prime time, than any other cable news network. It is also the only cable network that saw an increase in both total viewers and adults 25-54 compared to last February.
And it didn’t just win by a hair; it blew opponents CNN and MSNBC out of the water. All five of February’s most-watched cable news programs were on Fox News:
Quote:
Average Total Viewers: The O’Reilly Factor (2,937,000); The Kelly File (2,337,000); Special Report w/ Bret Baier (2,114,000); The Five (2,107,000); On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren (1,938,000)
Adults 25-54: The O’Reilly Factor (450,000); The Five (358,000); The Kelly File (354,000); Special Report w/ Bret Baier (315,000); On the Record with Greta Van Susteren (299,000)
By comparison, MSNBC’s most popular program, The Rachel Maddow Show, averaged 996,000 total viewers and 287,000 viewers 25-54. CNN’s leader, Anderson Cooper 360°, averaged 421,000 total viewers (a 47% drop from last year) and 127,000 viewers 25-54 (a 46% drop).
While the ongoing shift to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu has hurt nearly every cable network, Fox News’ overwhelming success proves that it’s still possible to succeed in the cable news industry; it’s a matter of hiring the right people, respecting your audience and presenting the news in a relevant, fearless and trustworthy way. Maybe CNN and MSNBC will eventually figure that out…