The newest opinion hour on the daily Fox News roster, Fox News Primetime, is having a relatively slow start, ending its first two weeks on air with fewer viewers than when it started.

Primetime debuted at 7 p.m. on Jan. 18, following a schedule shakeup at the network, with 1.88 million total viewers, and 313 in the key demo of viewers age 25-54, according to Nielsen. Two weeks later, on Jan. 29, the show had 1.64 million total viewers, and 255 in the demo. While Primetime had more total viewers than timeslot competitor Erin Burnett OutFront on CNN for two days in a row – Jan. 26 and 27 – the show couldn’t quite beat the competition in the demo on any day in its first two weeks.

Fox News Primetime, an opinion show in the vein of Tucker Carlson Tonight, Hannity, and The Ingraham Angle, replaced The Story with Martha MacCallum, which focused more on news than opinion. The Story was moved to 3 p.m.

Overall, in the 7 p.m. hour, OutFront continues to have a lock on the demo, while OutFront and MSNBC’s The ReidOut alternate the top spot with total viewers. So far, Brian Kilmeade and Maria Bartiromo have served as Primetime show hosts, and former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) is expected to take over temporary hosting duties for the week starting Monday.

Although Fox News Primetime might be struggling to make a ratings splash, Fox’s actual prime time lineup won in both total viewers and in the demo Friday, averaging 2.68 million overall viewers and 430,000 in the demo. MSNBC was second in prime time, with 2.65 million total viewers, but was third in the demo, with 401,000. CNN averaged 1.62 million total viewers in prime time, and 422,000 in the demo.

In total day viewers, the top spots went to MSNBC and CNN, with MSNBC having the most total viewers, 1.7 million (but the fewest in the demo, with 256,000), and CNN dominating the demo with 342,000 A25-54 viewers (but the fewest overall, with 1.34 million). Fox held the middle ground in total day, with 1.57 million total viewers and 273,000 in the demo.

MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show was again the most-watched show in all of cable, and the most-watched show in cable news Friday, with 3.72 million total viewers and 577,000 in the demo. Tucker Carlson Tonight was second, with 3.19 million total viewers and 477,000 in the demo. Hannity was third in total viewers, with 2.71 million (458,000 in the demo), while the second hour of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer had the third-most viewers in the demo for the day, with 463,000 (1.55 million viewers total).

Morning Joe on MSNBC had the most early morning viewers overall, 1.51 million, and 230,000 in the demo. Fox and Friends was second, with 1.15 million total viewers and 207,000 in the demo. New Day on CNN was third, with 743,000 total viewers and 192,000 in the demo.

The post Fox News Wins in Friday Prime Time, PLUS: A Look at the Ratings of the First Two Weeks of Fox’s New Opinion Show first appeared on Mediaite.

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