CNN had an historic ratings win in January, dominating with viewers to be the most-watched network in all of cable, and winning across the board in total viewers and in the key demographic of viewers age 25-54, according to data from Nielsen.

MSNBC was second overall in total viewers and viewers in the demo, and Fox News – for the first time in 20 years – was third in both metrics. CNN’s numbers have softened since the inauguration, shifting the dynamic slightly.

But for January, CNN, boosted by coverage of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the network’s most-watched day in its history, was the most-watched network in all of cable in total day viewers and in the demo in January, and was the most-watched among total viewers in all of cable in Monday-Sunday prime time. CNN averaged 1.9 million total viewers in total day viewers in January (a whopping 153% increase over January 2020), compared to MSNBC’s 1.65 million and Fox’s 1.36 million.

CNN also dominated in the demo across the board. In total day, CNN averaged 529,000 A25-54 viewers. MSNBC was second, with 295,000 viewers in the demo, and Fox was third, with an average 242,000 total day viewers in the demo. In prime time (Monday-Sunday), CNN averaged 795,000 viewers. MSNBC had the second-most prime time viewers in the demo, 486,000, and Fox had the fewest, with 423,000.

In total viewers, MSNBC topped weekday (Monday-Friday) prime time in all of cable in January, thanks to The Rachel Maddow Show, which had its highest-rated month ever, and was the most-watched show in all of cable for the month. MSNBC’s weekday prime time lineup averaged 3.4 million total viewers, while CNN averaged 3.1 million total viewers in prime time, and Fox averaged 3 million total viewers.

Notably, CNN saw huge audience growth over January 2020. In total day viewers, CNN saw more than 150% growth in total viewers, and more than 170% growth in the demo. MSNBC also saw its numbers grow, with a more than 60% increase in total day viewers overall, and more than 90% growth in the demo. Fox, however, saw its total day viewership decrease, dropping by almost 20% in total day viewers, and by around 17% in the demo.

While Fox was third in the January ratings race, the network started to regain some ground in the second half of the month. After Biden’s inauguration, from Jan. 21 to 28, Fox averaged the most total viewers in prime time, 2.66 million, and 425,000 in the demo, while MSNBC fell to second, with 2.49 million total viewers in prime time, and 380,000 in the demo. CNN maintained its demo dominance after the inauguration, with 509,000 A25-54 viewers in prime time, but had the fewest viewers overall in the last two weeks of the month, with 1.88 million.

It’s worth noting that while Fox’s post-election ratings decline has been extensively reported and analyzed, 2020 was a record ratings year for the network, and in January Fox reached the major milestone of being the most-watched cable news network overall on a year-by-year basis for 19 years in a row.

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