Most watched TV networks among adults aged 18-49 in the U.S. 2021
In 2021, NBC had 1.3 million average viewers, making it the leading ad-supported TV network in the United States among adults in the 18 to 49 demographic group. Fox ranked in second, with 1.14 million average viewers, followed by CBS with 1.02 million average viewers.
TV shows aside, some of the highest performing cable networks are those which specialize in news. This is where Fox tends to excel, regularly pulling in over two million primetime viewers each month. Other cable news networks competing with Fox include MSNBC which tends to rank second, followed by CNN which sometimes struggles to amass one million.
Best performing TV networks in the U.S. among total viewers
The extent of NBC’s success in 2021 is even clearer when considering the vast difference between NBC and the networks ranking in third and fourth place among total viewers. ABC amassed four million average viewers in 2021, and Fox had 3.7 million, meaning that NBC had over one million more average viewers than both of its close competitors. In first place was CBS with 5.6 million, thanks to "The Equalizer" and "Oprah With Megan & Harry" which on average drew in over 20 million viewers that year. Interestingly, although Fox ranked fourth among the leading ad supported U.S. networks, none of Fox’s shows secured a place in the top ten most watched shows of 2021 aside from the "NFL Divisional Playoff: Tampa Bay vs. New Orleans".TV shows aside, some of the highest performing cable networks are those which specialize in news. This is where Fox tends to excel, regularly pulling in over two million primetime viewers each month. Other cable news networks competing with Fox include MSNBC which tends to rank second, followed by CNN which sometimes struggles to amass one million.
