Crazy and often stomach churning election coverage helped push up the ratings of the cable news nets. 

While MSNBC saw the biggest increases in percentages, Fox News was clearly the overall winner. 

Fox News Channel marked their 20th year in television as the number one basic cable network in primetime and total day for the first time ever in the network’s history, according to Nielsen Media Research.

FNC will also close out 2016 as the fifth most-watched primetime in all of television.

Top Five Networks in Primetime in All of Television for 2016
 
1.    NBC: 7.2 million viewers
2.    CBS: 7 million viewers
3.    ABC: 5.1 million viewers
4.    FOX: 4 million viewers
5.    FNC: 2.4 million viewers
 
Nielsen Cable News Ratings for 2016 (12/28/15-12/1316) vs. 2015 (12/29/14-12/27/15)
 
Primetime:
FNC: 2,439,000 P2+, up 36%; 485,000 A25-54, up 43%
CNN: 1,275,000 P2+, up 79%; 431,000 A25-54, up 83%
MSNBC: 1,092,000 P2+, up 89%; 273,000 A25-54, up 99%

In commenting on the network’s performance this year, Co-Presidents Jack Abernethy and Bill Shine said, “As we close out our 20th year, FOX News continues to redefine television news and break ratings records, proving it is indeed the most watched and most trusted television news source in the country.”

No word if they said this in unison, or said the exact same thing separately.