Did Trump coverage make Fox News the highest-rated cable news network?
By Lauralei Singsank
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NO
Fox News was the highest-rated U.S. cable news network long before Donald Trump began his presidential campaign—having maintained the #1 spot against CNN, MSNBC and others for almost 19 years.
Trump's presidency, and the 2020 campaign, have no doubt helped sustain its success. Fox prime-time shows set new records in October as the election date drew near. Tucker Carlson's hour averaged 5.3 million viewers during the month, a cable TV record. Carlson "is arguably the most polarizing personality on cable news," Adweek observed. "But the folks who love his show watch it religiously."
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