50 Straight for Fox News

While CNN and MSNBC continue to take aim at their own feet, Fox News rolls on in the ratings.

FNC racked up its 50th consecutive quarter as the top dog in cable news.

Variety says that with a winning streak that dates back to shortly after 9/11  — and spans 150 consecutive months — Fox has been the most popular news outlet just about any way you slice it. According to Nielsen, it is No. 1 in both primetime and total-day averages, and in both overall viewers and the key news demo of adults 25-54.

In preliminary Nielsen estimates for the second quarter that ended Sunday, FNC was averaging more viewers in primetime (1.602 million) than the combined totals of MSNBC (578,000), CNN (461,000) and HLN (338,000). The same held true in total-day numbers, with Fox News Channel at 945,000, followed by CNN (342,000), MSNBC (336,000) and HLN (246,000).