January (Mostly) a Good Month for Cable News

Fox News Channel Top Cable News Network, No. 4 Overall Cable Network in Primetime

By Marisa Guthrie -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/29/2008 5:09:00 PM

Fox News Channel finished January as the most watched cable news network, jumping to the fourth-most-watched cable network in primetime. (Fox News was seventh for the month in total day.)

In total day, Fox News averaged 944,000 viewers (257,000 in the 25- to 54-year-old demographic) compared with CNN’s 609,000 (213,000 in the demo).

In primetime, Fox News averaged 1.73 million viewers (426,000) versus CNN’s 1.14 million (400,000).

Buoyed by record debate ratings, CNN posted a 41% jump in its primetime viewer average and was up 54 % in the demo compared with January 2007. Fox News increased its total viewer average by 8% and was up 10% in the demo.

MSNBC was also up in primetime, increasing its viewer average by 36% (34% in the demo) compared with the same time last year.

Meanwhile, CNBC, while up 15% in viewers in total day, when the bulk of its market programming airs, was down 16% in the demo.