But, as rival MSNBC was quick to point out, and BuzzFeed was quick to trumpet, Fox News had its worst primetime ratings in the coveted 25-54 demo since August 2001, and its lowest total day ratings since June 2008.
To a seasoned watcher of cable news ratings, there were other surprises. Rachel Maddow, for instance, came in 10th, beating "Studio B" and the 11 PM repeat of "The O'Reilly Factor." In January 2012, she came in 14th. It may not seem like much, but the top of the cable news field has been extremely stable and if Maddow were to continue creeping up the list, it would mean a real sea change. Overall, MSNBC perhaps powered by liberal euphoria over President Obama's inauguration was the only cable news channel to grow its ratings from 2012.