Fox News remains on top of the cable news ratings in both daytime and primetime viewers, finishing up its 49th consecutive quarter and 147th consecutive month at the top.
According to Nielsen Live and Same Day data, Fox amassed just over 1.8 million total viewers in primetime hours, with 293,000 in the key demographic of viewers ages 25-54,
reports Media Bistro's TV Newser. During daytime hours, Fox's total viewers totaled 1.099 million total viewers, with 225,000 in the ages 25-54 demographic.
Part of the success came from having cable news' top 14 programs in terms of total viewers and the top seven programs in the 25-54 demographic.
"The O'Reilly Factor" remains as Fox's highest rated primetime cable network show, with an average of 2.790 million total viewers and 427,000 viewer in the key 25-54 demographic,
reports Mediaite.
Megyn Kelly's "The Kelly File" placed second overall, with 2.228 million viewers and third in the key demo, with 324,000; "The Five" ranked third overall, with 2.131 million viewers and second in the key demo, with 336,000 viewers. The others in the top five are "Special Report with Bret Baier" in fourth place and "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren" at fifth place.
Fox News also placed well on cable TV overall, coming in fifth place during primetime.
Meanwhile, MSNBC was in 27th place, and CNN tied for 34th.
CNN was able to beat out Fox News in the 25-54 demographic a few times in the past weeks because of its constant,
sometimes-complained-about coverage of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. But its success in March was could not pull CNN out of its third place cable news spot.
Meanwhile, MSNBC went into third place behind CNN over the past two weeks, most likely because of the extensive airline disaster coverage, but still remained in second place overall in terms of total viewers and the 25-54 demographic over the course of the first quarter.
The network's success in covering New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's bridge-gate scandal attracted a total of 638,000 total viewers and 217,000 in the primetime hour, giving MSNBC its best quarter since the first quarter of 2013. In daytime viewers, the network also placed second, with 349,000 total viewers and 138,000 in the key demographic.
"The Rachel Maddow Show" was the network's top offering, averaging 974K total viewers and 267K in the demographic. "Hardball with Chris Matthews" came in at second, 884,000 total viewers and 223,000 in the demographic and "All In With Chris Hayes" ranked third, drawing 758,000 total viewers and 218,000 in the demographic.
CNN, meanwhile, averaged 383,000 total daytime viewers and 122,000 in the 25-54 demographic, and in primetime attracted 489,000 total viewers and 169,000 in the demographic.
The network is also reaping benefits from its documentary programming, with the premieres from "Chicagoland" and "Death Row Stories" topping the 25-54 demo in their time slots.