MSNBC Snaps Fox News’s 120-Week Streak As Top-Rated Cable News Network in Prime Time

MSNBC beat Fox News last week in prime time in both total viewers and in the key 25-54 age demographic, ending a 120-week winning streak for Fox in prime time. MSNBC saw a surge in the ratings surrounding the federal indictment of Donald Trump and not only scored its best week since the 2022 midterm elections, but also ended the week as the most-watched network on cable television for the first time in over two years, since February of 2021.

MSNBC averaged 1.52 million total viewers across prime time, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., and 172,000 demo viewers, which was enough to beat Fox’s 1.5 million total average viewers and 139,000 demo viewers. CNN landed in third place with 677,000 total average prime time viewers and 131,000 demo viewers.

This was only the fourth time in MSNBC’s 27-year history ending a week at number one in prime time in total viewers, the last time being the week of Feb. 8, 2021. Moreover, this was only the second time MSNBC has ever won prime time in both total viewers and in the demo for a week. The only other time was the week of Dec. 17, 2018.

MSNBC also ended the week at number one in the total day demo, while Fox News topped the week in terms of total day viewers. The last time MSNBC won a week in total day demo viewers was the week of Nov. 18, 2019.

Fox News’s The Five remained the top-rated show on cable news during the week, averaging 2.61 million total viewers and 271,000 demo viewers at 5 p.m. Jesse Watters landed the second highest-rated show with 2 million total viewers and 162,000 demo viewers, while Sean Hannity was third with 1.92 million total viewers and 165,000 demo viewers.

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