Fox News takes top spot on charts with coverage of Afghanistan

By Associated Press

Wednesday 25 August 2021 | 00:15

LOS ANGELES – Fox News Channel, bolstered by viewers’ passionate attention to the US-led evacuation from Afghanistan, was the most-watched TV channel last week on show or cable, by numbers from Nielsen on Tuesday.

The channel gathered on average just under 3 million viewers. Fox News Channel has edged out both its competition on cable and broadcast networks which typically vie for top spot.

The channel, which is popular with conservative-minded viewers, surged after the Taliban suddenly conquered Afghanistan this month and as the Biden administration ordered the chaotic withdrawal of US citizens and Afghans. in danger after the end of the nearly 20-year war.

The last time the channel claimed the top spot was in September 2020, when “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace moderated the debate between then-President Donald Trump and his ultimately crowned challenger. of success, Joe Biden.

MSNBC, which tends to attract liberal-minded viewers, experienced a slight drop in viewership from the previous week, with an average of just under 1.2 million viewers compared to 1.29 million. CNN rose 20.6%, with an average of 943,000 viewers compared to 782,000 the previous week.

Fox News Channel, which averaged 2.94 million viewers, was followed by broadcaster CBS with 2.57 million. NBC had 2.53 million, ABC 2.39 million, Fox 1.38 million, Univision 1.28 million, Ion Television 1.12 million and Telemundo 1.04 million.

Other top performing cable players include HGTV with 1.11 million and TLC with 1.04 million.

ABC’s “World News Tonight” topped the race for evening news ratings, averaging 8 million viewers last week. NBC’s “Nightly News” was second at 6.5 million and “CBS Evening News” had 4.8 million.

For the week of August 16 to 22, the 20 most watched programs, their networks and their audiences:

1. “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday), NBC, $ 6.9 million.

2. “60 Minutes Presents”, CBS, 5.98 million.

3. “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday), NBC, 5.74 million.

4. “Hannity” (Tuesday), Fox News Channel, 4.82 million.

5. “Celebrity Family Feud,” ABC, 4.75 million.

6. “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” ABC, 4.3 million.

7. “Big Brother” (Thursday), CBS, 4.05 million.

8. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Monday), Fox News Channel, 4.04 million.

9. “Big Brother” (Sunday), CBS, 3.9 million.

10. “The Chase”, ABC, 3.86 million.

11. “Big Brother” (Wednesday), CBS, 3.8 million.

12. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Tuesday), Fox News Channel, 3.76 million.

13. “Hannity” (Wednesday), Fox News Channel, 3.74 million.

14. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Wednesday), Fox News Channel, 3.63 million.

15. “Hannity” (Monday), Fox News Channel, 3.55 million.

16. “American Ninja Warrior,” NBC, 3.54 million.

17. “The $ 100,000 Pyramid,” ABC, 3.53 million.

18. “NCIS”, CBS, 3.47 million.

19. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Thursday), Fox News Channel, 3.45 million.

20. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” (Friday), Fox News Channel, 3.33 million.