Cable News Ratings 2010: Top 30 Programs Of The Year (PHOTOS)

2010 is almost done, and the cable news ratings for the entire year are in. As always, Fox News came out on top, thoroughly dominating the competition and taking the top 12 slots on the ratings list. MSNBC's major players proved resilient as well, with "The Last Word" and "The Ed Show" giving an extra ratings kick to the channel. Another interesting tidbit: CNN's highest-rated show of the year? Still "Larry King Live."

Below, see the top 30 cable news programs for all of 2010. As this is a year-end list, it includes some shows that were canceled during the course of the year.

1 of 30

1. The O'Reilly Factor

1 of 31

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

Fox News -- 3.191 million total viewers

Mortified Local News Reporter Does Not Realize She's On Air, Talks About Her Paleness (VIDEO)

Ben Silver Dead: Ex-CBS Newsman, Journalism Professor Dies At 85

gadgets/slideshows/201337/slide_201337_547645_small.jpg

Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters And G-Spots: A Moment We Will Never Forget (VIDEO) (MA) (NSFW)

Rosie O'Donnell On 'Today's Professionals': Clashes With Donny Deutsch, Wishes Barbra Streisand A Happy Birthday (VIDEO)

Dick Clark, Dick Cheney Mixed Up In Erroneous Tweet

Meredith Vieira Defends Ann Curry: 'She's Phenomenal' (VIDEO)

Fox News -- 3.191 million total viewers

comments(2460)

Total comments: 2460 | Post a Comment

1 of 31

This Program

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Change the Channel Tune In!

• 
  1
• 
  2
• 
  3
• 
  4
• 
  5
• 
  6
• 
  7
• 
  8
• 
  9
• 
  10

Top 5 Programs

loading...

Top 5 Programs

UserName

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Top User Slides

← Prev|Next →

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Users who voted on this slide

← Prev|Next →

loading...

Comments

[allengoldchain]

11:47 AM on 02/02/2011

Hahah Top 12 is FOX NEWS again!!!!! Man this must get to liberals all the time. Must be another slap in the face for the libs... Noticed that Theodore got #13 but is no longer around. MSNBC, just gave up there top perform of 2010 and replaced him with Lawrence O. eek

[TaunaHopkins]

05:22 PM on 01/30/2011

I'm not sure how accurate those ratings are, most satellite companies include FOX news in there basic line up, but not MSNBC or even CNN, so yes I guess FOX would have better ratings. To those of you who believe that FOX has more viewers because of the true and fact based reporting. All I can say it that Keith, Rachel, and John sure to seem to find a lot of inaccurate stuff is on that channel to report on.

[notlieutishia]

08:22 AM on 01/08/2011

It took just hours for the new Republican House majority to craft a dangerous set of rules that threatens not just the way Congress works, but puts American jobs on the line as well.

This was in today's HP.....I guess everyone has it in for Paul Andrews...go make jobs for these poor folks

[notlieutishia]

12:03 AM on 01/08/2011

Oh, I see, Paul Andrews started out criticizing Rachel Maddow's education and abilities to create jobs as if she worked for Obama.
After I finally told him you didn't need a PhD to create jobs, he criticized Obama for not hiring more people like my cousin who HAS created many jobs after ten years of work.
......THEN he went after Bill Gates and ended up criticizing Obama who has only had two years to repair ten years of damage done by Bill Gates or whomever he decides he wants to blame....
There is a pattern here and even remarks that he agrees with get turned into criticism of Obama
....Do you have a burr under your saddle? Quit bellyachin' and find out what it really is that you are mad about.Go create a job, I'm retired and have pages and pages of other facebook kids who thank me for helping them find jobs, education and joy in life. Oh, Lord, you just want to make someone argue with you. We couldn't be right regardless of what's said.

[Paul Andrews]

11:34 PM on 01/02/2011

I just read that the DNC chair said that OBAMA was too busy with 2 wars to be concerned about the economy and jobs.WOW if i were 1 of the people losing my house or without a job news like that would really make me want to vote for OBAMA. Or if I were 1 of the persons that had a job drilling in the gulf until he imposed the MORATORIUM that would really make me want to vote for him or if I were a senior citizen or disabled collect ss his gutting of MEDICARE and De funding ss would really make me want to vote for him. Or if I were one of the people that was happy with my healthcare and now my company decided they would rather pay the fine, it would really make me want to vote for him. Or if I lived in ARIZONA and lived in fear of breakins by illegals I would really want to vote for him. Or if I had a job in calfornia until he shut off the water, I would really want to vote for him. Or if I had a relative or friend who died at wtc on 911 and he wants to allow muslims to build a mosque there I would really want to vote for him. I could go on the list is endless and so are his LIES.

[saliberal]

09:47 PM on 01/02/2011

I still not understand this polls. I don't know not even one person who watches fox. in my circle only me watch fox, just for fun, sometimes

[2AcesInTheHole]

01:11 AM on 01/02/2011

I never thought I'd see the day when a BORN SECOND STRING BACK BENCHER like this guy would be topping the ratings. But that just shows us how talent free tv has become. AND HOW UPSIDE DOWN THE WORLD HAS BECOME.. Where lying has become the norm and theivery is not only tolerated but encouraged. AND WHERE GETING HELP FOR OUR REAL HEROS LIKE THE 911 FIRST RESPONDERS IS HASTLE. The Devil must be happy enough to be turning flips,when he looks up at the world and sees all of his precepts running at full speed. at least for now , anyway.

[daffey]

06:57 PM on 01/01/2011

O'Reilly doesn't get it. FOX News trounces others in the ratings because if you don't conform to liberal values, you have nowhere else to go. If you hold onto liberal values, you can take your pick: CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC, the NYT, Newsweek - the list goes on and on. That divides the audience. But if you are not liberal, or reject liberal ideals or values, FOX News is pretty much it. I have a feeling less people buy into everything FOX sells than FOX believes. They simply have nowhere else to go. If another network popped up that didn't conform to left leaning news casts and advocacy, I'll bet FOX would see its audience drop like a rock.

[Paul Andrews]

05:38 PM on 01/02/2011

The fact remains that the first 12 spots were all FOX

[daffey]

07:46 PM on 01/02/2011

Again, that's because FOX has a monopoly. If you don't buy into liberal values and POVs, then you watch FOX (or read a book). The other networks and stations are all liberal to one degree or another. If you are a person of more liberal viewpoints, you can pick and choose. You may prefer one channel over another, or bounce here or there. If another channel started, even without a liberal bias, it would probably pull away half of FOX's audience.

[rickwash4]

12:51 PM on 01/10/2011

daffey:

You don't realize it, but you answered your own question!! The MSM, and most othe cable networks do only the liberal spin, while FOX news reporting is far more accurate and misleading than the MSM. While the commentary programs on FOX get both sides to the issues. CNN, HLN and MessNBC together can't compete with FOX and it's not because it's the only place for moderates and conservatives, but about the only place you can get the whole story and there are stats to back that up.

[WalterJesseSmith]

03:41 PM on 01/01/2011

So how did "Pop" come to equal "Top?"

Maybe those shows should be called the world's ten worst pap smears, or something more accurate for their content.

[CountingCoup]

11:42 AM on 01/01/2011

To make it fair, let MSNBC be free to basic cable subscribers like FOX is, you would see a dramatic shift...

[Paul Andrews]

05:50 PM on 01/02/2011

I would never watch MSNBC because of MS. Bill Gates is partly responsible for our bad
economy because he has sent so many jobs to India and lobbied for more Indians to come to US to take what few jobs are left. On top of that he wants to kill people with vaccines to lower
pollution. see link:
http://forums.ngemu.com/open-discussion/132655-population-reduction-conspiracy-bill-gates-wants-kill-us.html

[notlieutishia]

09:05 PM on 12/31/2010

dmezz1962 Ha. The fact is that MSNBC has begged Republicans to come on their show. Of course they refuse...except three that I've heard this year...or two...Cindy McCain and some guy that wanted to crush up nuclear waste and sprinkle it in the ocean....He was running for some office in Oregon...It is not I who became riled over a remark...lol... That always shows that I hit a nerve. I have been called worse by my students. And I really have many more college grad hours...but I don't yet have the "piled higher and deeper" degree . I do not value my degree, I was just making an observation. I have known custodians with more to say than "shove it up"...but nevertheless, you proved my point. I'm actually less intellectual than most folks I know...and I admitted to having to listen carefully to Rachel, who has a PhD....but I do try. And most of those intellectuals watch MSNBC. I am sorry if you feel hurt when someone states facts. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'm just glad you have feelings. Happy New Year...keep reading. Oh yeah, I missed Mensa by one point...That does make me too proud... I am laughing. This was fun.

[Paul Andrews]

06:00 PM on 01/02/2011

Rachels PHD is in philosophy wow thats good for job creation NOT

[notlieutishia]

01:15 AM on 01/03/2011

Sorry, honey, but Rachel's PhD is in Political Science....Now talk about her.

[Shawn Hugus]

11:57 AM on 12/31/2010

Unfortunately, nowadays I know a lot of smart people who don't take the time in their lives to keep up with current events. Newspapers have one foot in the grave, and talk radio is even worse than television, if that is to be believed. Most people in America are too self-involved to take the time to learn about the issues, and to make a justified opinion about them.

But, while I completely disagree with just about everything FOX News stands for, I will give them credit: they know how to keep an audience. They stay completely on message, they keep it very simple (perhaps too simple - if you've ever gotten into a debate with a regular viewer of FOX you have to be very patient with them on correcting information) - and they've got everyone lockstep with the company orders. Well, most of them - occasionally Shepard Smith and Chris Wallace will break ranks and will take a side that agrees with the liberals.

Though, to quote Ric Flair, of all people, to be the man, you've got to beat the man. If you want people like Maddow to succeed (and she totally deserves it), you've got to be there for her. Just like the FOX fans are for anyone with a loud voice and a flag pin.

[macrocosm]

05:38 PM on 12/31/2010

I say forget TV and go for the NET. Far more people are getting their info on the internet & the monopolies are breaking up... so some network leans left or right ... what if we want to genuinely move forward?

[Paul Andrews]

08:28 PM on 12/31/2010

I couldnt agree with you more. TV is very limited time wise, but on the internet you can read the full story and even multiple different views. F&F

[Paul Andrews]

08:22 PM on 12/31/2010

lets be honest the left have CNN and I am never on here criticizing peoples choice for watching that network because i respect peoples rights to watch what they choose. That said why are the lefties always on here criticizing anyones choice for watching FOX? whenever any tries to DICTATE to me what I can watch, I CALL THAT FACISM. I personally think that the lineup that fox has is the reason why FOX beats CNN 3 to 1. FOX has many things such as Neil Cavuto on Business. I Love sports and FOX has the best sports coverage in the business. But be very assured that FOX is not my only source of news and before i believe anything anyone says, I evaluate it very carefully with other sources. One more thing I try very hard not be personal and not name call people that I disagree with but sadly my left wing brothers do not return the same respect.

[SisterAnn]

09:56 AM on 01/02/2011

I like Neil Cavuta's show because it is simple, but you can't trust their info.

I am surprised that Bloomberg isn't listed. I would like the shows on there a lot but I hate watching them, because of their accents. Also the messages on the bottom are to hard to read and move too fast.

They are going to have to talk slower and clearer with the baby boomers getting old.

[macrocosm]

02:12 AM on 12/31/2010

With numbers this bad its a wonder they brag! lol So Fox is the best of what almost no-one is watching... Congrats! Cable news ... is it good for anything other than selling pharma to sick people that dont get out much?

[macrocosm]

02:07 AM on 12/31/2010

Let us all give thanks that only minuscule fraction of people even watch cable news! The fake press seems to be all hype and no substance, I was actually saddened that people were getting informed by falsities but it seems its not so bad after all ... almost no-one is watching! YAY!!

[Davwbaird]

12:37 AM on 12/31/2010

fox carried on basic tier of compost er comcast msnbc is not that is never mention.