The new Nielson Media Research ratings show that FOX News is still the number one cable news network, but more importantly, it has extended its lead as its chief competitors, MSNBC and CNN, have hit the rating skids. FOX averaged more than 1.4 million daytime viewers and more than 2 million viewers in primetime.
The real story is not about the success of FOX but about the disastrous decline of CNN and MSNBC. The two FOX competitors have been losing ground for years, but they have literally cratered since President Trump’s victory. MSNBC lost an astonishing 54 percent of its viewers in less than a month.
In the latest ratings, FOX topped CNN by more than 400 percent in daytime views and more than 570 percent in prime time. FOX led MSNBC by almost 300 percent in daytime viewership and 330 percent in prime time.
According to reports by FOX, CNN had its worst week since 2001 — almost a quarter of a century — with a paltry 268,000 daily viewers – and 297,000 primetime viewers. MSNBC maintained second place with 346,000 daily viewers and 465,000 primetime viewers.
FOX not only continues to draw an audience greater than MSNBC and CNN, but the Rupert Murdock network expanded that lead to more than double the MSNBC/CNN combined numbers in both daily and primetime viewer categories.
Since Election Day, FOX holds 73 percent of the cable news audience – and has 98 of the top 100 cable shows. FOX’s “The Five” was the top rated show in cable news with an average of 4.1 million viewers.
When CNN first aired their new evening lineup – following a brief period of serious reform — I predicted that it had no more appeal than the failing old lineup. Even during some of the biggest news days of the year, CNN’s 8 to 11 p.m. time slot drew a smaller audience than Bravo, TV Land, The Discovery Channel, FX, the Food Network and the History Channel.
Both CNN and MSNBC have experienced dramatic losses – especially in the all-important 25 to 54 age group. CNN hit a 30-year low with only 41,000 views. And in that demographic, MSNBC fared even worse, with a measly 29,000 viewers. MSNBC ran behind Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, E!, The Cartoon Networked, Oxygen, MTV, Hallmark Mystery, and more. It was MSNBC’s worst showing 27 years.
The latest ratings are further evidence that – contrary to the clams of the left – the people of America are not stupid, gullible or low information voters – even when voting with their television remotes.
So, there ‘tis.