Cable News Nets Continue To See Higher Viewing In July, Strong COVID-19 Interest

Prime-time cable TV news channels continued to see higher viewership in July --- up 30% to 90% over a year ago -- largely due to ongoing concern over COVID-19 pandemic news. 

Fox News Channel grew 32% to an industry-leading 3.2 million average Nielsen-measured viewers and MSNBC was 39% higher to 2.1 million. CNN posted higher-than-average cable TV network growth in July -- almost double the viewership of a year ago -- up 90% to 1.5 million. 

Much of the same results appeared in total day measurement as well, with Fox News adding 19% to 1.6 million viewers, MSNBC up 41% to 1.2 million and CNN adding 79% to 994,000.

This followed the previous month of June, where Samba TV estimated the three news networks saw the largest “time spent” increases, with CNN up 322%, Fox News Channel 202% higher and MSNBC up 167% year-over-year.

advertisement

advertisement

Samba TV said the “reach” increase of these three networks grew 47% to 92% compared to June 2019.

In July, Nielsen says Fox’s big three evening shows pulled in strong results: “Hannity” had 4.1 million viewers, “Tucker Carlson Tonight” came in at  4.0 million and “The Ingraham Angle” had 3.4 million. 

MSNBC’s top three shows were “The Rachel Maddow Show”at  3.3 million; “The Last World with Lawrence O’Donnell” at 2.6 million and “Deadline: White House” at 2.0 million.

CNN’s three best-performing shows were “Cuomo Prime Time” with 1.9 million, “Anderson Cooper 360” with 1.7 million and “Erin Burnett Outfront” with 1.4 million.

The top five paid advertisers for the month on Fox were My Pillow, with 586 airings ($14.5 million), followed by Sandals Resorts, with 294 airings, ($2.0 million); Nutrisystem, at 311 airings ($1.95 million); Nordictrack, 119 airings ($1.8 million); and Golo, 169 airings, ($1.4 million), according to iSpot.tv.

For MSNBC, the top advertisers were Allstate, with 310 airings ($409,535), followed by Infiniti, 296 airings ($384,567); ASPCA, 86 airings ($343,031); Progressive Insurance, 191 airings ($299,650); and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 103 airings, ($273, 219).

For CNN, the top advertisers were ASPCA, with 137 airings ($3.2 million), followed by CarShield, at 123 airings ($1.9 million); American Advisors Group, 53 airing ($1.6 million); Medicare Benefits Helpline, 111 airings ($1.6 million); and United Healthcare, 56 airings ($1.5 million).

 
3 comments about "Cable News Nets Continue To See Higher Viewing In July, Strong COVID-19 Interest".
Check to receive email when comments are posted.
  1. PJ Lehrer from NYU, July 31, 2020 at 5:08 p.m.

    Fox News. Oy vey...
    http://pjlehrer.blogspot.com/2020/07/if-your-friends-dont-wear-masks-you.html

  2. Jay King from King Enterprises, July 31, 2020 at 10:32 p.m.

    Glad to see not everybody's under the influence of Far Left propaganda. Fox News always has differing opinions; mainstream mediocrity only has RINO Trump haters for "balance".

  3. John Grono from GAP Research replied, August 3, 2020 at 5:51 p.m.

    Sad.

Next story loading loading..