As of October 2019, Fox News was the most-watched network for the third consecutive year and continues to do well in terms of its prime time audience, with around 2.68 million primetime viewers in that month.
Performing well during the mid-evening prime time slot on cable television is the goal of any network that takes its ratings seriously. News networks Fox, CNN and MSNBC are engaged in a monthly battle to hit the top spot during prime time and draw in the most viewers during those precious evening hours.
What is prime time?
Prime time television is the time at which the audience peaks, and in the United States usually takes place between 8pm and 11pm. TV networks show their most sought after or successful programs during this time, and this slot is where advertisers like to spend their money in order to maximize the amount of viewers who will see their products. Programs such as Hannity and The Rachel Maddow Show which debate news coverage from a particular point of view draw in massive audiences each month, and contribute to the overall ratings of the network they belong to.
Why do ratings matter?
Ratings are important to TV networks because they are linked to advertising rates, and rising or falling ratings can affect what an advertiser will pay to secure a spot. They are used by networks to determine their position compared to competitors.
Leading cable news networks in the United States in October 2019, by number of primetime viewers
(in 1,000s)
Primetime
Aged 25-54
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Exclusive Premium statistic
You need a Premium Account for unlimited access.
Full access to 1m statistics
Incl. source references
Available to download in PNG, PDF, XLS format
Premium Account
only $59 / month
*
Access to this and all other statistics on 80,000 topics from
This feature is limited to our corporate solutions.
Please contact us to get started with full access to dossiers, forecasts, studies and international data.
Corporate Account
Use Statista now:
Unlimited Access to All Statistics! $59 / Month
Basic Account
Get to know the platform
You only have access to basic statistics.
This statistic is not included in your account!
Premium Account
Your perfect start with Statista
Instant access to 1m statistics
Download in XLS, PDF & PNG format
Detailed references
$59 / Month *
Corporate Account
Full access
Corporate solution including all features.
* All products require an annual contract.
Prices do not include sales tax.
All features, all contents, at all times: Learn more about our professional solutions.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
Adweek (TVNewser). (October 29, 2019). Leading cable news networks in the United States in October 2019, by number of primetime viewers (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved January 04, 2020, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/373814/cable-news-network-viewership-usa/
Adweek (TVNewser). "Leading cable news networks in the United States in October 2019, by number of primetime viewers (in 1,000s)." Chart. October 29, 2019. Statista. Accessed January 04, 2020. https://www.statista.com/statistics/373814/cable-news-network-viewership-usa/
Adweek (TVNewser). (2019). Leading cable news networks in the United States in October 2019, by number of primetime viewers (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: January 04, 2020. https://www.statista.com/statistics/373814/cable-news-network-viewership-usa/
Adweek (TVNewser). "Leading Cable News Networks in The United States in October 2019, by Number of Primetime Viewers (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 29 Oct 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/373814/cable-news-network-viewership-usa/
Adweek (TVNewser), Leading cable news networks in the United States in October 2019, by number of primetime viewers (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/373814/cable-news-network-viewership-usa/ (last visited January 04, 2020)
We use cookies to personalize contents and ads, offer social media features, and analyze access to our website. In your browser settings you can configure or disable this, respectively, and can delete any already placed cookies. For details, please see your browser’s Help section (by pressing F1). Please see our privacy statement for details about how we use data.