July 1, 2009
Broadcasting & Cable

MSNBC tops CNN in demo and viewers, HLN has best year in network history
Fox News Channel finished the second quarter ratings period as the No. 3 ranked basic cable network in primetime behind USA and TNT. The network is having its best year among total viewers since 2003, when the war in Iraq began.

The network posted a 35% gain in total viewers and 54% in the news networks' target demographic of 25-54-year-olds compared to primetime (Monday through Friday) for the second quarter 2008.

Fox News also swept the cable news top-ten in total viewers led by The O'Reilly Factor, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and On the Record.

Meanwhile, MSNBC topped CNN in weekday primetime among total viewers and the 25-54 demographic. It was the first time in MSNBC's 13-year history that the network surpassed CNN for an entire quarter in both ratings measurements.

Compared to primetime Q2 2008, MSNBC was up 18% in total viewers while CNN was down 10%.

CNN led MSNBC in total day among viewers and the demo, with advantages of 52% and 25%, respectively.

CNN's American Morning topped MSNBC's Morning Joe by 16% in total viewers and the 25-54 demo.

HLN's Morning Express with Robin Meade beat out Morning Joe in the 25-54 demo by 12%, putting the MSNBC program in fourth. Fox & Friends is far out in front as the top rated morning program.

HLN had its best quarter in the network's 27-year history, marking a 19% gain in total viewers and 28% in the demo for total day compared to Q2 2008.

HLN's Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell improved its 7 p.m. time period by 49% in the demo compared to Q2 2008 while Nancy Grace posted an 81% gain in the demo.