Cable News Ratings: Fox News, CNN Split Lead on Ferguson Coverage

Related: Media Part of Ferguson Story

In a busy night for the cable news networks, Fox News and CNN shared the lead for their coverage of the grand jury’s decision of whether to indict Ferguson, Mo. police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting of Mike Brown.

FNC led among total viewers for primetime with 5.56 million, topping CNN’s 5.08 million and MSNBC’s 1.62 million. FNC led during the 9 p.m. hour (7.26 million) – when the verdict was announced – as well as the entire special coverage that all news networks were in from 7 p.m.-1 a.m. ET (4.385 million to CNN’s 4.365 million).

CNN however, led among the adults 25-54 news demo with 2.63 million demo watchers from 8-11 p.m. and 2.33 million for the entire special coverage window. CNN also led among the demo during the 9 p.m. hour with 3.16 million 25-54 viewers.

MSNBC was a distant third in all measures.