RATINGS: THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW is Top Cable News Program In A25-54 for the Quarter

MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" was the #1 cable news program in A25-54 for the 1st quarter of 2019, beating all other Fox News and CNN shows, according to Nielsen data from December 31, 2018 through March 28, 2019. "Maddow" averaged 552,000 in A25-54 viewers (vs. FOX News' 542,000 for HANNITY and 528,000 for HANNITY with Specials at 9pm, FOX News' 534,000 at 8pm and CNN's 367,000 at 9pm). Additionally, this quarter was "Maddow's" highest-rated quarter ever in total viewers, averaging 3.07M total viewers at 9pm (vs. FOX News' 3.06M for HANNITY with Specials and CNN's 1.3M).

In a record-breaking quarter among total viewers, MSNBC again surpassed CNN as the #2 most-watched network across all of cable during dayside (M-F 9am-5pm) and total day (M-Su 6am-6am). In dayside, MSNBC beat CNN for the 7th straight quarter in total viewers, averaging 1.2M total viewers (vs. CNN's 830,000) - up +17% over 1Q18 (vs. FOX News' -2% and CNN's +1%). In total day, MSNBC beat CNN for the 8th straight quarter in total viewers, averaging 1.1M total viewers (vs. CNN's 724,000) - up +9% over 1Q18 (vs. FOX News' -2% and CNN's +2%). Weekend total day (Sa-Su 6am-6am) also beat CNN, scored its best quarter ever, and posted the only cable news growth over 1Q18 in total viewers (up +3% vs. FOX News' -3% and CNN's -5%).

In weekday prime, MSNBC beat CNN in A25-54 for the 8th straight quarter, averaging 424,000 viewers A25-54 (vs. CNN's 366,000). MSNBC was the #10 most-watched cable network across A25-54, ahead of #15 CNN. In total viewers, MSNBC beat CNN for the 12th straight quarter, averaging 2.43M total viewers (vs. CNN's 1.2M). Across all of cable, MSNBC was the #2 most-watched network, ahead of #6 CNN. In addition, MSNBC M-Su 8-11pm topped CNN for the quarter (for the 7th time out of the last 8 quarters) in A25-54 and also delivered its highest-rated quarter ever in total viewers, besting CNN for the 9th straight quarter as the #2 most-watched network across all of cable.

"Morning Joe" at 6am set ratings records in total viewers, nearly doubling CNN with over 1M total viewers. Compared to 1Q18, "Morning Joe" was up +10% in total viewers while Fox News (-5%) and CNN (-8%) declined. "Morning Joe" beat CNN in A25-54 for the 7th straight quarter and in total viewers for the 16th straight quarter.

"The 11th Hour with Brian Williams" was the #1 cable news program at 11pm in both A25-54 and total viewers and achieved the network's best total-viewer delivery ever for the time period. "The 11th Hour" beat both Fox News and CNN in A25-54 for the quarter, averaging 311,000 viewers A25-54 (vs. FOX News' 292,000 and CNN's 271,000). In total viewers, "The 11th Hour" was #1 for the 3rd quarter in a row with 1.76M viewers, doubling CNN (vs. FOX News' 1.4M and CNN's 835,000) and posting more growth than the competition over 1Q18 (+10% vs. FOX News' -7% and CNN's +3%).

"Deadline: White House" at 4pm was the #1 cable news program in total viewers for the quarter (winning 2 of the last 3 quarters), delivering MSNBC's highest-rated hour ever for the time period. "Deadline" averaged 1.7M total viewers (vs. FOX News' 1.5M and CNN's 977,000) - and was up significantly more than the competition compared to 1Q18 (+32% vs. Fox News 0% and CNN's +3%).

Every hour of MSNBC's weekday programming from 5am-3am beat CNN in total viewers, including: "Morning Joe First Look" at 5am for the 6th straight quarter; "Morning Joe" from 6-9am for the 16th straight quarter; "MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle" at 9am for the 9th straight quarter; "MSNBC Live with Hallie Jackson" at 10am for the 7th straight quarter; "MSNBC Live with Craig Melvin" at 11am for the 7th straight quarter; "Andrea Mitchell Reports" at 12pm for the 7th straight quarter; "MSNBC Live with Velshi & Ruhle" at 1pm for the 7th straight quarter; "MSNBC Live with Katy Tur" at 2pm for the 6th straight quarter; "MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi" at 3pm for the 6th straight quarter; "Deadline: White House" at 4pm for the 7th straight quarter; "MTP Daily" at 5pm for the 8th straight quarter; "The Beat with Ari Melber" at 6pm for the 7th straight quarter; "Hardball with Chris Matthews" at 7pm for the 23rd straight quarter; "All In with Chris Hayes" at 8pm for the 9th straight quarter; "The Rachel Maddow Show" at 9pm for the 38thstraight quarter; "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" at 10pm for the 15th straight quarter and also in A25-54 for the 8th straight quarter; and "The 11th Hour with Brian Williams" at 11pm for the 10thstraight quarter. On weekends, "AM Joy" bested CNN in total viewers on Saturdays at 10am for the 6th straight quarter and Sundays at 10am for the 5th straight quarter. "Kasie DC" topped CNN in total viewers on Sundays at 7pm for the 5th straight quarter. "Weekends with Alex Witt" topped CNN in total viewers on Sundays at 12pm.

Multiple MSNBC programs also achieved total-viewer ratings highs, including weekdays during "MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle," "MSNBC Live with Hallie Jackson," "MSNBC Live with Craig Melvin," "Andrea Mitchell Reports," "MSNBC Live with Velshi & Ruhle," "MSNBC Live with Katy Tur," "MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi," "MTP Daily," "The Beat with Ari Melber," "Hardball with Chris Matthews," "All In with Chris Hayes," and "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell"; and Saturdays during "UP with David Gura" and "Weekends with Alex Witt."

NOTE: 1Q19 ratings are based on Nielsen Live+Same data day for December 31, 2018 - March 28, 2019. Individual show data represents regular programming only, excluding specials and breaking news.

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