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Fox News On Track for Most-Watched Year Ever

Network stays strong as rivals suffer post-election blues

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 25, 2009 3:41 AM CDT

(Newser) – Fox News has avoided the post-election ratings drop that hit other networks and is on course to have it best year ever, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The network, helped by programming changes like shifting Glenn Beck to 5pm, has shown a steady rise in ratings and now has as many viewers as CNN, CNN Headline News and MSNBC combined.

Fox execs say that while having a Democratic president in the White House has likely given their right-leaning programming a ratings boost, it hasn't shifted their focus away from covering the news. "The numbers speak for themselves," one exec said of the ratings. "If anything, we're paying attention to the non-news networks because now we want to catch them."

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

Sean Hannity interviewing then-Republican vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Fox News Channel)

Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly appears on the Fox News show, "The O'Reilly Factor," in New York. (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen, file)

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I don't look at who occupies the White House, I just look at it as news.
- Bill Shime, Fox News Senior Vice President of Programming

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Fox News On Track for Most-Watched Year Ever