With the NBA playoffs completed, Fox News Channel repositioned itself atop cable’s primetime programming chart last week while maintaining its nearly yearlong winning streak in total day.
Fox News averaged 2.1 million viewers during the week of June 3-9 to lead all cable networks in primetime for the first time since the week of April 16, before TNT, powered by its NBA playoffs coverage, topped the chart for six straight weeks, according to Nielsen figures supplied by Fox News. Basic cable’s piece of the pro-hoops postseason is now over, with broadcaster ABC currently airing the NBA Finals.
ESPN and MSNBC finished tied for second place with 1.1 million viewers, followed by HGTV’s 776,000 viewers and Hallmark Channel’s 734,000 watchers. TBS was sixth with 616,000 viewers, followed by USA Network (613,000), History (601,000), INSP (599,000), and CNN (485,000).
Fox News was the most-watched network on a 24-hour basis for the 22nd consecutive week with 1.3 million viewers, followed by MSNBC (759,000), ESPN (513,000), CNN (404,000) and HGTV (399,000), Nielsen said.