MSNBC Beats Fox News and CNN
MSNBC is number 1 over Fox News and CNN, but not in the cable ratings.
The cable network is still far behind when it comes to getting viewers to watch them, but a new study shows that MSNBC is on top when it comes to harnessing Facebook’s user base to reach audiences with their content.
Variety writes that the rankings are based on a proprietary scoring of each network’s reach, impact and and responsiveness by Toronto-based social-media analytics firm Engagement Labs.
On Twitter, meanwhile, the firm found that sports and entertainment networks were top performers, led by NBCUniversal’s E!, NBC Sports and Oxygen with the highest scores.
On Facebook, MSNBC has a score (on a scale of 0-100) of 94.11 from Engagement Labs, edging out with Fox News at 93.31 and CNN at 93.21. Among the top Twitter networks, E! has a score of 89.58, with NBC Sports at 88.43 and Oxygen at 88.21.
But what the rankings really mean is opaque.
For one thing, the TV data — pulled directly from Facebook and Twitter — covers only a two-week period, from May 11-24, 2015. Moreover, the firm’s rankings are about effectiveness, not absolute reach. It’s worth noting, for example, that MSNBC has just 1 million followers on Facebook, while Fox News has 10.3 million and CNN has 17.5 million.
For what it’s worth, here are Engagement Labs’ top 10 rankings for U.S. TV networks on the two major social services:
Facebook
1. MSNBC
2. Fox News
3. CNN
4. Fox Business
5. HLN
6. Logo
7. Al-Jazeera America
8. CNBC
9. Bravo
10. PBS
Twitter
1. E!
2. NBC Sports
3. Oxygen
4. Logo
5. Fox Sports 1
6. Discovery
7. truTV
8. MSNBC
9. Al-Jazeera America
10. Fox Business