For the third straight year, Fox News topped all news outlets as the most-watched network on cable television, far outpacing MSNBC and nearly doubling CNN’s ratings.
According to Adweek, Fox averaged 1.4 million total day viewers and 2.4 million primetime, compared to MSNBC which had 994,000 total day and 1.8 million primetime. CNN lagged well behind, drawing in an average 706,000 total day and 988,000 primetime.
The numbers posted by Fox represent the largest primetime audience in the 22-year history of the network.
Fox News Channel CEO Suzanne Scott and President Jay Wallace issued a statement saying the numbers demonstrate that they “continue to outperform other basic cable networks” because “our news coverage and premiere team of journalists and opinion hosts are the best in the business.”
Nielsen Cable News Ratings for 2018 (01/01/18-12/30/18).
Primetime:
1. Fox News: 2,434,000 total viewers
2. CNN: 988,000 total viewers
3. MSNBC: 1,802,000 total viewers pic.twitter.com/8Pc13PxlPD
— The African Voice (@teddyeugene) January 3, 2019
While the numbers remain staggering, MSNBC has been generating some noise as the opposition voice to the Trump presidency, seeing a 10-percent increase in primetime to Fox’s 1-percent.
Which shows are leading the way
It has to be gutwrenching for the liberal media to accept, but Sean Hannity, for the second year in a row remained the host of the number one cable news program. He posted a total of 3.25 million total viewers over 212 broadcasts.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow ranked second with a total of 2.89 million viewers over a far greater number of broadcasts at 241.
Maddow is immediately followed by four straight programs on Fox News – “Tucker Carlson Tonight” at number three, followed by “The Ingraham Angle,” “The Five,” and “Special Report with Bret Baier.”
CNN doesn’t see it’s first show on the list until you get to the 23rd spot, where Chris Cuomo appears. “CNN Tonight” with Don Lemon, the man who claimed white people are the biggest terrorist group in America, appears in the 34th slot.
#Liberals are having a meltdown over this headline. I Love it!! Congrats @seanhannity!! #FoxNews #Ratings #Cable #News https://t.co/tuNiihJVnu
— Rory Sauter ❌ (@SauterRory) January 3, 2019
In other daytime slots, Harris Faulkner’s show “Outnumbered Overtime” led the way while “Fox & Friends” trounced “Morning Joe” and “New Day.”
It’s the content, stupid
It doesn’t take a network genius to figure out why Fox is still smoking their competitors.
The network is the only one that actually offers guests with differing viewpoints. There is rarely a show on Fox that doesn’t offer debate from both a conservative guest and a liberal guest.
CNN and MSNBC, by contrast, predominantly allow only leftists on their programs, and when they allow the occasional Republican, it’s of the RINO variety.
They also produce super quality content like Anderson Cooper taking tequila shots then squealing and hacking like a puppy on New Year’s Eve.
The Anderson Cooper shot montage you didn’t know you needed #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/QC2YBhUxd6
— Amber Athey (@amber_athey) January 1, 2019
Fox also has another advantage – their fair and balanced coverage means it is the only network in which President Trump appears on a consistent basis. The only network he can trust to not ambush, push narratives, or promulgate fake news in his presence.
Congratulations Fox, on another year of quality programming – well, except for that Shepherd Smith fella.
