When Barack Obama arrived at the White House six months ago, there was a lot of speculation that conservative media outlets would see ratings shoot up as unhappy Republicans turned to shows whose hosts were critical of the new administration's agenda.
For the cable news networks, that appears to be the case.
Fox News, the No. 1 cable news network and the most right-leaning of the bunch, is surging.
At the same time, CNN is sinking, with its ratings sometimes slipping below those for liberal-leaning MSNBC.
For the week ended July 19, when Congress was grilling Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, Fox News ranked No. 15 among all cable networks in 25-54s, with an audience of 500,000 viewers.
CNN’s audience was just half that at 260,000 viewers. MSNBC had 239,000 viewers.
In total viewers, at a time when Michael Jackson’s death was still a hot topic, Fox News was No. 4 among all cable networks in primetime with just under 2 million viewers. CNN had 902,000 viewers and MSNBC 766,000.
Fox News is being fueled in good part by the network’s hosts, like Sean Hannity, slamming Obama’s proposed overhaul of the healthcare industry and his handling of the ailing economy.
Indeed, the network has been doing well all year. It was up in second quarter as both CNN and MSNBC posted declines, each hurt by comparisons to last year when presidential campaigning was in full swing.
For the quarter in 25-54s in primetime, Fox News was up 50 percent from the year-earlier period, to an average 518,000 viewers.
MSNBC ranked No. 2 for the first time ever for a full quarter, but it was down 1 percent to 268,000 viewers. CNN’s audience plummeted 19 percent, to 240,000 viewers in the demographic.
***
In cable ratings for the week ended July 19:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): USA, ESPN, TBS, TNT, FX.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, TNT, Nick at Nite, Fox News Channel, ESPN.
Top movie (18-49s): FX’s “The Italian Job” (Sunday, 9 p.m.) 1.35 million.
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN’s “2009 State Farm Home Run Derby” (Monday, 8:18 p.m.) 8.25 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA’s “WWE Raw” (Monday, 9 and 10 p.m.); ESPN’s “2009 State Farm Home Run Derby” (Monday, 8:18 p.m.); USA’s “Burn Notice” (Thursday, 9 p.m.); ESPN’s “Home Run Derby Prelude” (Monday, 8 p.m.); ESPN’s “Legends Celebrity Softball” (Monday, 11:09 p.m.).
Show on the rise: USA’s “Burn Notice,” Thursday 9 p.m. The drama jumped 17 percent week-to-week among viewers 18-49, from 2.27 million to 2.65 million.
Show on the decline: ESPN’s “2009 State Farm Home Run Derby” Monday 8:18 p.m. While still easily the week’s No. 1 program among total viewers, this year’s edition slipped nearly 10 percent versus last year, from 9.12 million viewers to 8.25 million.
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TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending July 19 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
2373
|
NICK
|
1871
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
1705
|
NAN
*
|
1382
|
|
3
|
NAN
|
1545
|
USA
|
1248
|
|
4
|
FOXN
|
1538
|
TNT
|
1011
|
|
5
|
ESPN
|
1451
|
ADSM*
|
963
|
|
6
|
TBSC
|
1106
|
FOXN
|
873
|
|
7
|
HGTV
|
1032
|
TOON
|
729
|
|
8
|
AEN
|
932
|
TBSC
|
707
|
|
9
|
LIF
|
932
|
ESPN
|
631
|
|
10
|
SYFY
|
931
|
TRU
|
607
|
|
11
|
FX
|
930
|
LIF
|
590
|
|
12
|
DISC
|
915
|
FOOD
|
585
|
|
13
|
FAM
|
902
|
AEN
|
575
|
|
14
|
HIST
|
897
|
FX
|
563
|
|
15
|
FOOD
|
872
|
HGTV
|
561
|
|
16
|
TRU
|
790
|
HIST
|
561
|
|
17
|
HALL
|
780
|
DISC
|
548
|
|
18
|
TLC
|
777
|
CNN
|
500
|
|
19
|
AMC
|
765
|
FAM
|
485
|
|
20
|
CNN
|
759
|
HALL
|
469
|
|
21
|
CMDY
|
708
|
SPK
|
465
|
|
22
|
BET
|
680
|
AMC
|
463
|
|
23
|
TOON
|
643
|
MTV
|
446
|
|
24
|
SPK
|
634
|
TVLD
|
442
|
|
25
|
MSNB
|
624
|
SYFY
|
432
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 19 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
2009 State Farm Home Run
Derby
|
ESPN
|
5855
|
|
2
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
4751
|
|
3
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
4625
|
|
4
|
Royal Pains
|
USA
|
4480
|
|
5
|
Home Run
Derby Prelude
|
ESPN
|
4367
|
|
6
|
Spongebob
|
NAN
|
3740
|
|
7
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3718
|
|
8
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3647
|
|
9
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3579
|
|
10
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3492
|
|
11
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3481
|
|
12
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3366
|
|
13
|
Spongebob
|
NAN
|
3351
|
|
14
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3322
|
|
15
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3280
|
|
16
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3270
|
|
17
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3188
|
|
18
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3118
|
|
19
|
Law & Order: CI (Orig)
|
USA
|
3098
|
|
20
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3085
|
|
21
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2984
|
|
22
|
Army Wives
|
LIF
|
2980
|
|
22
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2980
|
|
24
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2963
|
|
25
|
In Plain Sight
|
USA
|
2960
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending July 19 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
590
|
ADSM*
|
417
|
|
2
|
TBSC
|
517
|
NICK
|
376
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
448
|
NAN
*
|
360
|
|
4
|
FX
|
350
|
TBSC
|
297
|
|
5
|
MTV
|
347
|
USA
|
278
|
|
6
|
NAN
|
335
|
MTV
|
236
|
|
7
|
FAM
|
323
|
ESPN
|
226
|
|
8
|
FOOD
|
303
|
FX
|
217
|
|
9
|
BET
|
295
|
TNT
|
210
|
|
10
|
TNT
|
286
|
FAM
|
184
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending July 19 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
2009 State Farm Home Run
Derby
|
ESPN
|
2104
|
|
2
|
Home Run
Derby Prelude
|
ESPN
|
1556
|
|
3
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1184
|
|
4
|
Legends Celebrity Softball
|
ESPN
|
1144
|
|
5
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
1130
|
|
6
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1115
|
|
7
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
1101
|
|
8
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1097
|
|
9
|
Family Guy
|
TBSC
|
1089
|
|
10
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
1062
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending July 19 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1311
|
USA
|
652
|
|
2
|
ESPN
|
929
|
NICK
|
610
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
925
|
NAN
*
|
608
|
|
4
|
TNT
|
862
|
ADSM*
|
592
|
|
5
|
FX
|
729
|
TBSC
|
534
|
|
6
|
DISC
|
673
|
TNT
|
534
|
|
7
|
NAN
|
647
|
ESPN
|
425
|
|
8
|
AEN
|
610
|
FX
|
417
|
|
9
|
FOOD
|
593
|
DISC
|
362
|
|
10
|
SYFY
|
564
|
LIF
|
353
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending July 19 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
2009 State Farm Home Run
Derby
|
ESPN
|
4265
|
|
2
|
Home Run
Derby Prelude
|
ESPN
|
3027
|
|
3
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
2646
|
|
4
|
Royal Pains
|
USA
|
2483
|
|
5
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2475
|
|
6
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2231
|
|
7
|
Deadliest Catch
|
DISC
|
2205
|
|
8
|
Legends Celebrity Softball
|
ESPN
|
2171
|
|
9
|
The Next Food Network Star 5
|
FOOD
|
1872
|
|
10
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
1869
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending July 19 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1465
|
USA
|
723
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
1039
|
TNT
|
594
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
908
|
NICK
|
492
|
|
4
|
TBSC
|
798
|
NAN
*
|
477
|
|
5
|
DISC
|
731
|
TBSC
|
466
|
|
6
|
FX
|
719
|
ADSM*
|
424
|
|
7
|
SYFY
|
647
|
ESPN
|
383
|
|
8
|
AEN
|
610
|
FX
|
378
|
|
9
|
HIST
|
596
|
TRU
|
378
|
|
10
|
FOOD
|
583
|
DISC
|
377
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending July 19 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
2009 State Farm Home Run
Derby
|
ESPN
|
4206
|
|
2
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
3118
|
|
3
|
Home Run
Derby Prelude
|
ESPN
|
2936
|
|
4
|
Royal Pains
|
USA
|
2904
|
|
5
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2513
|
|
6
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
2501
|
|
7
|
Deadliest Catch
|
DISC
|
2404
|
|
8
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2237
|
|
9
|
The Next Food Network Star 5
|
FOOD
|
2028
|
|
10
|
Legends Celebrity Softball
|
ESPN
|
1917
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
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