Fox News Channel was the most-watched basic cable network for the 14th straight week after averaging 1.7 million viewers from April 3-9 despite sexual harassment claims surrounding primetime star Bill O’Reilly.
Fox News averaged 2.8 million primetime viewers, holding off No. 2 MSNBC, which averaged 1.7 million primetime viewers. Fox News has now been the highest-rated primetime cable station for 11 out of the past 12 weeks.
USA, HGTV and TBS join Fox News and MSNBC among the top five most-watched networks between 8-11 p.m. CNN finished seventh, averaging 1.2 million primetime viewers. MSNBC has now topped CNN during primetime for 11 straight weeks and seven straight weeks among total viewers.
Among total day viewers, Nickelodeon finished second, averaging 1.1 million. MSNBC, CNN and HGTV going Fox News to make up the top five, although only Fox News and Nickelodeon averaged more than one million viewers.
A recent New York Times report that detailed sexual harassment allegations against O’Reilly has caused advertisers to distance themselves from “The O’Reilly Factor,” but viewers continue to stick around. All five telecasts of “Factor” last week ranked in the Top 10 programs in all of cable.
The only non-Fox News program in basic cable to beat O’Reilly among total viewers last week was USA’s WWE program “Monday Night Raw.” The April 6 special live editions of “Hannity” and “Shepard Smith Reporting” were the top two most-watched cable programs for the week during coverage of the U.S. strikes against Syria.
Fox News’ sister, FBN, has now topped CNBC as the most-watched business channel for 13 straight weeks.