FOX News Channel Dominates Cable News Viewership For 11th Consecutive Year

FOX News Channel (FNC) continued to dominate in 2012 as the most-watched cable news channel among both total viewers and Adults 24-54 for the 11 ^th consecutive year, according to Nielsen Media Research. FNC will complete the year with the top 11 programs in total viewership, marking FNC’s second highest-rated delivery ever in total viewers for both Prime Time and Total Day.

Among basic cable networks, FNC ranked third in Prime Time viewership, behind only USA Network and ESPN while eclipsing CNN and MSNBC which rank 29 ^th and 19 ^th, respectively. In Total Day, FNC was fourth among all cable networks, while CNN was 31 ^st and MSNBC ranked 24 ^th.

In Prime Time, FNC continued its ratings supremacy by besting CNN, MSNBC and HLN combined in total viewers with an average of 2,071,000 (up 11%) compared to CNN’s 670,000 (down 3%) and MSNBC’s 913,000 (up 18%). In 25-54 demo, FNC surpassed CNN and MSNBC, clocking in 431,000 viewers (up 1%) while CNN averaged 219,000 (down 1%) and MSNBC averaged 290,000 (up 20%).

In Total Day, FNC commanded the lead in cable news for both categories with an average of 1,158,000 in total viewers (up 8%). Meanwhile, CNN notched 408,000 (down 15%), which nearly matched MSNBC’s 498,000 (up 15%). In the key demographic, FNC delivered 276,000 (up 1%) compared to CNN’s 131,000 (down 18%) and MSNBC’s 166,000 (up 12%).

Also, FNC claimed the top 11 programs in cable news based on total viewers and eight of the top 10 programs in Adults 25-54. FNC’s The O’Reilly Factor was the top ranked show in both total viewers (2,973,000) and Adults 25-54 (578,000). Rounding out the top five programs in total viewers include: Hannity (2,299,000); Special Report with Bret Baier (1,950,000); On The Record with Greta Van Susteren (1,867,000) and The Five (1,830,000). In the key demographic, the remaining top ranked programs are: Hannity (503,000); On the Record with Greta Van Susteren (413,000); FOX Report with Shepard Smith (390,000) and Special Report with Bret Baier (389,000).

FNC’s key daytime news programming was up across the board. In addition, FNC’s signature morning show Fox & Friends and the late night show Red Eye delivered their highest-rated year ever in total viewers. The O’Reilly Factor, FOX & Friends and America’s Newsroom all ranked number one in all of basic cable within their individual time slots.

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