FNC Tops Basic Cable, Holt Wins Total Viewers During May

Fox News Channel topped all of basic cable in total day in total viewers again in May, marking the first time the cable news network has topped the basic cable ratings chart three months in a calendar year, and this year is only five months old. FNC led basic cable for two months of the full calendar year during the Iraq War.

In primetime, FNC ranked No. 3 among basic cable networks, Behind NBA playoff-fueled TBS and ESPN. CNN ranked No. 13 in primetime, and MSNBC was No. 15, according to Deadline.

CNN noted it has bested MSNBC for 23 consecutive months in total day in both overall audience and in the news demo. In primetime, CNN also has outstripped MSNBC for 23 consecutive months in the news demo and for six consecutive in total viewers.

MSNBC, meanwhile, pointed out it delivered the highest percentage of total-day growth in cable news for the month – 61% in total viewers and 49% in the news demo. Except MSNBC did even better, percentage-wise, in primetime: up 78% among overall audience and 66% in the news demo.

In the world of evening news, May 2016 sweeps belongs to the Peacock. NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt won its 35th consecutive sweep among total viewers and its 4th consecutive sweep in the A25-54 demo. Nightly was up 3 percent in total viewers and up 6 percent in the news demo from May 2015 sweeps.

ABC World News Tonight with David Muir took No. 2 spot among total viewers and A25-54. The program was up 3 percent in total viewers versus May 2015 sweeps, but down 7 percent in the news demo.

CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley held No. 3 spot in key categories, and it saw year-over-year improvement for the May sweep: +1 percent in total viewers and +3 percent in the news demo. The 6.686 million is the program’s best total viewer delivery for a May sweep in 10 years, and its 7.35 million total viewer delivery for the entire TV season is also the best in 10 years.