25-54 demographic (Live +SD)

• Total day: FNC: 223 | MSNBC: 121 | CNN: 140 | HLN: 242

• Primetime: FNC: 236 | MSNBC: 131 | CNN: 155 | HLN: 273

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25-54 demographic (Live +SD)

• Total day: FNC: 327 | MSNBC: 134 | CNN: 258 | HLN: 125

• Primetime: FNC: 436 | MSNBC: 257 | CNN: 295 | HLN: 135

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25-54 demographic (Live +SD)

• Total day: FNC: 249 | MSNBC: 127 | CNN: 113 | HLN: 176

• Primetime: FNC: 310 | MSNBC: 210 | CNN: 150 | HLN: 225

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As usual, Fox News Channel’s programming topped the competition in the first quarter of 2013. The network notched the top 13 programs among total viewers and the top six in the A25-54 demographic.

“The O’Reilly Factor” was the number one show on Fox News and cable news overall, averaging  2.88 million total viewers and 428,000 demo viewers for the quarter.

“The Rachel Maddow” show was number one on MSNBC in both total viewers and the demo, averaging 928,000 and 263,000 viewers, respectively. The program placed 14th in total viewers and seventh in the demo for the quarter.

HLN’s top show for the quarter was “Nancy Grace,” which cracked the top ten programs among younger viewers. Grace’s program placed 16th in total viewers and ninth in the demo, averaging 778,000 and 252,000 viewers, respectively.

CNN’s top show in total viewers was “Anderson Cooper 360,” which placed 28th and averaged 533,000 viewers. “AC360″ also led the network among younger viewers, placing 29th and averaging 155,000 in the A25-54 demographic.

CNBC’s top program in total viewers was “Squawk On The Street,” which averaged 274,000 viewers. “American Greed” was the network’s top show in the demo with 99,000. “Lou Dobbs Tonight” was FBN’s top-rated show in both total viewers and the demo, averaging 105,000 and 25,000 viewers, respectively.

The full rankers are below.
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Fox News continued its dominant hold of the leaderboard in the first quarter of 2013, marking 45 consecutive quarters as the highest-rated cable news network. But like CNN and MSNBC, Fox News is down for the quarter.

The ratings for Q1 2013 (Nielsen Live + Same Day data):

• Primetime (Mon-Sun): 1,731,000 Total Viewers / 279,000 A25-54
• Total Day (Mon-Sun): 1,065,000 Total Viewers / 214,000 A25-54

Compared to the same quarter last year, Fox News is flat in Total Viewers and down -18% in the A25-54 demographic in Total Day. In primetime, the network is down -9% in Total Viewers and -34% in the demo. It should be noted that the first quarter of 2012, ratings for the cable news networks got a boost from debates and political primaries during the Presidential election cycle.

“The Fox Report with Shepard Smith” celebrates a major milestone this month, ranking first in Total Viewers for 50 consecutive quarters. “Fox & Friends,” “Your World with Neil Cavuto” and “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren” have been number one in their respective time slots for 45 consecutive quarters.

Like the competition, the network has lost viewers in primetime compared to the year-ago quarter. “The O’Reilly Factor” is flat in Total Viewers and down -26% in the demo. (Note: percentages are based on a blend of Live +7 and Live +3 data.) “Hannity” is down -5% and -28%, while “On the Record” is down -13% and -35%, respectively.

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25-54 demographic (Live +SD)

• Total day: FNC: 238 | MSNBC: 131 | CNN: 105 | HLN: 137

• Primetime: FNC: 289 | MSNBC: 176 | CNN: 112 | HLN: 158

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25-54 demographic (Live +SD)

• Total day: FNC: 237 | MSNBC: 132 | CNN: 110 | HLN: 180

• Primetime: FNC: 349 | MSNBC: 203 | CNN: 156 | HLN: 197

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Shortly before 5pmET, the cable news networks turned their attention to breaking news that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has died from cancer.

Bloomberg TV’s Trish Regan reported Chavez’s death at 4:53pmET. CNN’s Wolf Blitzer followed at 4:55pmET, sourcing Venezuela television. MSNBC’s Martin Bashir was next at 4:57pmET, reporting that NBC News had confirmed Chavez’s death. Fox News’ Andrea Tantaros reported the news at the top of “The Five,” with the network getting independent conformation at 5:04pmET. Shepard Smith took over anchoring for FNC at 5:12pmET.

>Update: FNC went back to the “The Five” at 5:23pmET.

25-54 demographic (Live +SD)

• Total day: FNC: 473 | MSNBC: 261 | CNN: 142 | HLN: 68

• Primetime: FNC: 753 | MSNBC: 588 | CNN: 235 | HLN: 82

	5p:	6p:	7p:	8p:	9p:	10p:	11p:	12a:
FNC	TheFive:	Baier:	Shep:	O’Reilly:	Hannity:	Greta:	O’Reilly:	Hannity:
	496	481	428	733	886	639	563	490
MSNBC	Matthews:	Sharpton:	Matthews:	EdShow:	Maddow:	O’Donnell:	EdShow:	Maddow:
	271	324	336	452	726	584	359	299
CNN	Blitzer:	Blitzer:	Burnett:	Cooper:	Morgan:	Cooper:	Burnett:	Morgan:
	117	134	176	225	283	195	130	133
HLN	Express:	Express:	VelezMitch:	Grace:	Dr.Drew:	Grace:	Showbiz:	Dr.Drew:
	37	42	35	100	104	42	60	48

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Fox News continued its dominant hold on the cable news leaderboard in the third quarter of 2012. Led by Bill O’Reilly‘s “The O’Reilly Factor,” which just completed its 50th straight quarter at #1, the network claimed the top 10 programs in cable news in Total Viewers for the quarter.

The ratings for Q3 2012:

• Primetime (Mon-Sun): 1,999,000 Total Viewers / 392,000 A25-54
• Total Day (Mon-Sun): 1,147,000 Total Viewers / 268,000 A25-54

Compared to the same quarter last year, the network is up in Total Viewers (+6% in primetime and +7% in Total Day) and down in A25-54 viewers (-11% in primetime and -4% in Total Day).

FNC’s daytime programming continues to shine among younger viewers, with almost every hour posting increases among the A25-54 demographic compared to the same quarter last year. “America Live with Megyn Kelly” leads the way with a +22% increase, while “America’s Newsroom” is up +11%, “Happening Now” is up +17% and “Studio B with Shepard Smith” is up +10%.

In primetime, “The Five”  is up +32% in Total Viewers and +21% in A25-54 viewers compared to Q3 2011. This is the first true yearly quarter comparison for Glenn Beck‘s replacement show, which launched in July 2011. Both “Hannity” and “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren” were up in Total Viewers but down in the A25-54 demographic: +13%/-7% and +5%/-18%, respectively.

For the month of September, Fox News is up double digits across the board year-over-year: +26% in Total Viewers and +20% in A25-54 viewers in primetime, +22% in Total Viewers and +14% in the demographic in Total Day.