Nothing but net for TNT ratings with NBA play-offs
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Michelle Clancy
| 24 May 2017

TNT has hooped its fourth cable prime time ratings win in five weeks, topping the usual leader Fox News thanks to the NBA play-offs.

NBA programming on the Turner network took five of the top ten-rated individual shows, including the top three, according to Nielsen. That pushed TNT to an average of 3.1 million viewers in prime time - better than the 2.2 million viewers at Fox News, whose prime time line-up has taken a talent hit without Bill O'Reilly and Megyn Kelly.

Coverage of Donald Trump-related scandals has been a boon for cable news. Rounding out the top five were MSNBC, with 1.8 million viewers; ESPN, with 1.7 million; and CNN, with 1.4 million.

The top watched prime time cable programme was TNT's coverage of Sunday's Boston/Cleveland game, drawing 6.9 million viewers. ESPN's coverage of the Golden State/San Antonio NBA series gave it the fourth and fifth best-rated programs of the week, with coverage of the NBA Draft Lottery coming in eighth.

Fox News topped the whole-day ratings, however, for the 20th straight week, ahead of Nickelodeon, MSNBC and CNN.