Fox News, MSNBC and CNN all finished among the most-watched networks among all of basic cable for the week of May 8-14 during a news cycle packed with drama, including the sudden firing of now-former FBI Director James Comey.
CNN’s prime-time ratings rose 53 percent to nearly 1.2 million viewers on average over the previous week, while MSNBC grew nearly 28 percent to 1.8 million. Fox News was the only basic cable network to surpass the two million-viewer plateau — climbing 10.6 percent to win the week with an average of 2.3 million viewers between 8-11 p.m.
The NBA Playoffs-heavy TNT edged MSNBC for the second spot with 1.9 million viewers. MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 1.8 million viewers while CNN averaged 1.2 million to finish eighth. ESPN and TBS joined FNC, TNT and MSNBC among the top five.
Fox News Channel also marked 19 consecutive weeks atop total day viewership, averaging 1.4 million viewers. Nickelodeon finished second, averaging 1.1 million and MSNBC finished third, averaging one million viewers. CNN finished fourth; averaging 841,000 and HGTV averaged 779,000 to round out the top five.
The week was loaded with political news, with Tuesday’s sudden firing of Comey dominating coverage. The week also featured President Trump threatening Comey on Twitter, Sean Spicer missing press briefings, Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders emerging as a household name and even a now-infamous eye roll by CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
Fox News continues to dominate total viewers despite losing its biggest star, Bill O’Reilly, just last month. The network could soon face another primetime shakeup, as “The Five” co-host Kimberly Guilfoyle told the Bay Area News Group that she is in conversations with the Trump administration about potentially joining the communications team.
MSNBC was the most-watched cable news network in weekday prime time among the key demo of adults age 25-54 for the first time since 2009, according to TVNewser. However, MSNBC might see a shakeup of its own, as Lawrence O’Donnell’s fate is uncertain when his current contract expires in four weeks.
James Comey Timeline: Events That Led to FBI Director's Firing (Photos)
For the first time since 1993, a U.S. president has fired a director of the FBI. Comey's final year as head of the Bureau before his dismissal Tuesday was wrought with controversy, as Democrats and Republicans alike criticized him for his handling of the FBI's investigations into Hillary Clinton's emails and possible connections between Donald Trump's campaign and Russia. Here's how we got to this point:
Getty Images
July 2013: Disgraced former NY Congressman Anthony Weiner sees his campaign for New York mayor derailed when screenshots of explicit conversations between him and several women are leaked. His wife, Huma Abedin, who was deputy chief of staff to Hillary Clinton while she was Secretary of State, stands by him.
Getty Images
September 2013: President Barack Obama appoints James Comey as FBI Director. Comey served as U.S. Deputy Attorney General from 2003-2005 and had worked in the intervening years at Lockheed Martin and HSBC, among other private sector jobs.
April 2015: Hillary Clinton announces her campaign for the president just weeks after The New York Times reported that she used a personal email server as Secretary of State. Abedin is named vice-chairwoman of her campaign.
July 2016: After investigating Clinton's emails, Comey announces that the FBI does not recommend charging Clinton in connection to the personal server. Two days later, Comey is questioned by a Republican-led House Committee about his recommendation.
August 2016: Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin announce their separation after reports surface that Weiner had sent explicit text messages to another woman.
September 2016: Reports surface that Weiner had sent illicit text messages to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina, prompting a federal investigation. During the investigation, authorities seize a laptop belonging to Weiner and Abedin.
Oct. 28, 2016: Comey sends a letter to Congress informing members that Abedin's laptop may contain emails linked to the Clinton investigation. Clinton calls on the FBI to release all the information they have.
Nov. 6, 2016: Comey writes another letter saying that nothing new was found on Abedin's laptop, with Newsweek reporting that most of the emails found were ones forwarded by Abedin so she could print them. Two days after Comey sends the second letter, Hillary Clinton loses the presidential election to Donald Trump.
March 2017: Comey reveals during a House Intelligence Committee hearing that the FBI is performing an investigation into possible connections between the Kremlin and members of Trump's campaign.
May 3, 2017: Comey testifies in Congress again, this time before a Senate Committee about the details of the FBI's investigation into Clinton's email server. He says that Abedin had forwarded "forwarded hundreds and thousands of emails, some of which contain classified information" to Weiner to print out of convenience.
May 9, 2017: ProPublica and the Associated Press report that Comey had exaggerated the number of emails found in the laptop and that none of the emails were classified when sent. Later that day, Comey is fired from his position by Donald Trump.
1 of 12
Comey’s four-year tenure as FBI director ends 10 months after recommending Hillary Clinton not be charged for his email investigation
For the first time since 1993, a U.S. president has fired a director of the FBI. Comey's final year as head of the Bureau before his dismissal Tuesday was wrought with controversy, as Democrats and Republicans alike criticized him for his handling of the FBI's investigations into Hillary Clinton's emails and possible connections between Donald Trump's campaign and Russia. Here's how we got to this point:
Getty Images
Getty Images
