Fox News Notches 20 Straight Years As Top-Rated Cable News Network

Fox News Channel is marking its 20^th consecutive year as the No. 1 cable news network in total day and primetime, according to Nielsen Media Research. Since January 2002, FNC has remained the most-watched cable news network across both dayparts with total viewers and in the 25-54 demographic.

In January, FNC was the only cable news network to show year-over-year growth in total day viewers. FNC continued to grow its audience share, occupying more than half the audience in total day viewers (55%) and the 25-54 demo (56%) and in primetime across both categories (56% P2+ and 56% A25-54).

In commenting on the milestone, Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said: “I am immensely proud of this landmark achievement as it is a testament to the dedicated teams across Fox News Channel, who are the backbone in making us No. 1 for 20 consecutive years with the most loyal and politically diverse audience in cable news.”

In January, FNC notched 95 of the top 100 cable news telecasts for the month, including the top 91 cable news telecasts. FNC delivered 14 of the top 15 cable news programs in overall viewers, along with 15 of the top 16 in the 25-54 and 18-49 demos.

Additionally, FNC remained the most-watched network in cable news, sweeping the competition in both total day and primetime viewers, beating CNN and MSNBC combined in both total day and primetime across both categories for six consecutive months.

From 8-11 p.m. ET, FNC delivered 2.2 million viewers, 338,000 in the 25-54 demo and 206,000 with 18-49. In total day, FNC garnered 1.4 million viewers, 226,000 with the 25-54 demo and 138,000 with the 18-49 demo.

At 5 p.m. ET, FNC’s signature roundtable program The Five continued to make history, finishing the month as the highest-rated program in total viewers for the second consecutive month and past three out of four months. Notably, The Five delivered 3,573,000 total viewers, 504,000 in the 25-54 demo and 320,000 in the 18-49 demo, outpacing every program on CNN and MSNBC in all categories. Additionally, The Five beat ABC’s signature series The Bachelor in total viewers.

At 8 p.m. ET, FNC’s Tucker Carlson Tonight completed the month as the top-rated program in both younger demos, averaging 560,000 viewers with the 25-54 demo as well as 342,000 in the 18-49 category. Tucker Carlson Tonight drew 3,414,000 in total viewers.

Hannity at 9 p.m. followed suit, averaging 2,862,000 viewers, 433,000 in the 25-54 demo and 256,000 among adults 18-49. Knocking MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show out of the top five in viewers and outpacing her across the board,

The Ingraham Angle garnered 2,225,000 viewers, 376,000 in the 25-54 demo and 219,000 in 18-49 demo for the month of January. Additionally, at 6 p.m., Special Report with Bret Baier delivered 2,616,000 viewers, 387,000 with the 25-54 demo and 229,000 with the 18-49 demo.

FNC delivered six programs that exceeded 2 million viewers for the month.

At 7 p.m., FNC’s newly-launched Jesse Watters Primetime debuted with strong ratings out of the gate, ranking in the top three spots in both categories. During launch week, host Jesse Watters drew 3.3 million viewers and 490,000 in the 25-54 demo. Prior to the Jan. 24 launch, FNC presented Fox News Primetime, featuring rotating hosts. For the month of January, FNC’s 7 o’clock timeslot drew 2,385,000 total viewers and 388,000 in the 25-54 demo.

Greg Gutfeld’s latenight Gutfeld! finished January as the top show in cable television in total viewers at 11 p.m., and in the top 10 overall with 1,906,000 viewers, 343,000 with 25-54 demo and 207,000 in 18-49 demo. Gutfeld! outpaced ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!  and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in total viewers.

From 4-6 a.m. ET, Fox & Friends FIRST garnered 518,000 viewers and 101,000 in the 25-54 demo. FNC’s Fox & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 a.m.) marked its 10^th straight month as the top-rated cable news morning show across the board, with 1,329,000 viewers and 222,000 in the demo.

Marking its one year anniversary this month, FNC’s daytime lineup kicked off with a two-hour morning news program, America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET), notching 1,765,000 viewers and 270,000 in the 25-54 demo.

The Faulkner Focus at 11 a.m., anchored by Harris Faulkner, scored 1,719,000 viewers and 266,000 in the 25-54 demo, besting CNN and MSNBC across the board.

At noon ET, Outnumbered earned 1,807,000 viewers and 278,000 in the demo. From 1-3, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1,513,000 viewers and 240,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 3 p.m., anchor Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 1.6 million viewers and 261,000 in the 25-54 demo, while Your World with Neil Cavuto at 4 PM/ET nabbed 1,612,000 viewers and 260,000 in the 25-54.

FNC continued its dominance throughout the weekend, beating CNN and MSNBC combined with both categories during total day and primetime and winning every weekend hour. FNC’s Saturday primetime lineup, swept their respective timeslots and earned the top three highest-rated programs, outpacing all cable news competition in both total viewers and in the demo for the month.

On Sundays, FNC’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo (Sundays, 10 AM/ET) continued as the top-rated program in both categories for the weekend, with 1.7 million viewers and 249,000 in the demo.

FNC’s Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (Sunday, 7 p.m.), topped every CNN and MSNBC program in total viewers, drawing an audience of 1.2 million viewers and 109,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 8 p.m., Life Liberty and Levin earned 1.5 million viewers and 150,000 in the demo, while 9 o’clock’s The Next Revolution with host Steve Hilton secured 1.1 million viewers and 134,000 in the demo.

Fox & Friends Weekend (weekends, 6-10 a.m.) earned 1.3 million viewers and 193,000 in the demo for the month. Additionally, Fox Report with Jon Scott (nearly 1 million viewers; 105,000 A25-54) surpassed the cable news competition in its timeslot.