CableTV News Ratings: FOX Holds On For Wins

Fox News Channel narrowly held on to win the adults 25-54 demo for the month of October, edging CNN by 1,000 viewers, or just 0.3 percent. CNN got a boost from the first democratic debate. But unlike CNN and MSNBC, TVNewser reportsd Fox News was down in the adults 25-54 demo vs. October 2014: down 11 percent in total day and down 1 percent in prime time. Among total viewers the network saw growth: up 3 percent in both total day and in prime time. FNC has now been the No. 1 news network for 166 months—nearly 14 years.

CNN is experienced massive growth compared to October 2014. The network was up 101 percent in prime-time viewers and up 59 percent in the prime-time demo.

CNN’s late afternoon/early evening lineup of Jake Tapper, Wolf Blitzer and Erin Burnett all finished No. 2 in their timeslots (behind FNC and ahead of MSNBC) and were up in total viewers an average of 4 percent vs. last October.

MSNBC saw across-the-board ratings gains for the month of October, vs. October 2014. The network was up 26 percent in total day viewing and up 26 percent in prime time, among total viewers. The adults 25-54 demo growth was smaller: 4 percent for total day and 6 percent in prime time. MSNBC finished third among total viewers and fourth in the demo, behind HLN, for total day viewing.