After MSNBC briefly won the ratings war in 2017, Fox News is back on top – and they positively crushed the competition in the May rating period.
According to ratings data released Wednesday by Nielsen Media Research, Fox News Channel has now beaten every other basic cable network in total day ratings for 23 months straight, with an average total day audience in May of 1.4 million viewers.
In prime time, Fox News destroyed its competition, with an average total audience of 2.381 million viewers, compared to MSNBC’s 1.384 million and CNN’s 835,000. Among viewers 25-54, the group most coveted by advertisers, FNC shook off a challenge in recent months from MSNBC to claim a clear victory: 461,000 viewers, well ahead of MSNBC (329,000) and CNN (265,000).
As for Fox News’s new centerpiece star, Sean Hannity, he steamrolled the competition. Not only is Hannity the highest-rated host in cable news, but “Hannity” outpaced every other show on basic cable, with the other exceptions being ESPN and the NBA playoffs on TNT. His average total audience in May was 3.261 million, well ahead of MSNBC’s second-place “The Rachel Maddow Show” (2.627 million). Rounding out the top five were all other Fox News shows: “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (2.617 million), “The Ingraham Angle” (2.617 million) and “The Five” (2.153 million).
Meanwhile, CNN is positively floundering.
CNN’s primetime lineup isn’t doing so hot.
The network is currently sitting at #12 behind HGTV, TBS, NBC Sports, The History Channel, Investigation Discovery, and The Discovery Channel.
Yikes @CNNhttps://t.co/DMRI5W8A5X
— Amber Athey (@amber_athey) May 30, 2018
But Fox News’ resurgence is even more astounding given how easily it could have gone the other way. Faced with sexual assault scandals, the departure of major network stars and executives, and high-profile boycotts, Fox News could have easily spiraled out of control. But the network handled the crises expertly, and now they’re back right where they belong: on top. (RELATED: Laura Ingraham Celebrates Skyrocketing Ratings in the Wake of Liberal Boycott).
Furthermore, it just goes to show where people prefer to get the news they trust.
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