TV News November Viewing: Fox On Top Again, CNN, MSNBC Hit Records
- by Wayne Friedman , December 3, 2020
As expected,
November posted strong viewing numbers for the top three cable TV news networks versus the same month a year ago -- largely due to the Presidential election and coverage of the results in the days
that followed. But the race is now tighter overall among all the top cable news networks. Fox News Channel continued to lead -- at a Nielsen-measured 3.94 million average prime-time viewers.
CNN, which said it recorded its best month ever in November, was at 2.8 million viewers in prime time. MSNBC posted 2.7 million viewers.
Fox also won in total day viewers, with 1.94 million. CNN was 160,000 viewers behind at 1.78 million, while MSNBC came in at 1.59 million -- the best total day results ever in its 25-year history.
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Looking at a key news demographic -- 25-54 viewers -- CNN posted the best results in prime time for November among its competitors, at 948,000, while Fox News Channel came in at 827,000 and MSNBC had 536,000.
As expected, all networks recorded significant spikes versus the same month a year ago. Compared to November 2019, CNN was up 180% in prime-time viewers, while Fox was 41% higher and MSNBC grew 29%.
Another indicator -- the previous month of October -- showed a slightly different story. CNN had the best growth results -- up 12% in total prime-time viewers in November from October (2.5 million), and 29% higher (1.4 million) in total day viewers.
MSNBC was flat in prime-time viewers (2.7 million in October), and up 6% in total day viewers (from 1.5 million).
Fox News Channel was down 20% in prime-time viewers in October (4.9 million), and 16% lower in total day viewers (2.3 million).
