LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� The U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan and fearsome Hurricane Ida drew viewers to cable channels that focused on the unfolding events.
Fox News Channel had the lion's share of the most-watched cable shows last week, 19 of the top 20, according to Nielsen figures out Tuesday. MSNBC got a less dramatic ratings bump from the prior week.
Last week's coverage of the removal of U.S. citizens and Afghans at risk included a that killed 13 U.S. service members and more than 160 Afghans. The .
The Weather Channel鈥檚 audience grew as Ida barreled toward the Gulf Coast. The channel鈥檚 ratings among young adult viewers increased by 38% last week over the same period in 2020.
As Ida made landfall in Louisiana last Sunday, Weather Channel was the most-watched on cable among viewers 25 to 54.
The destructive hurricane .
Fox News improved its performance from the previous week when it topped all broadcast and cable outlets. But NBC, on the strength of its top-rated 鈥淎merica's Got Talent鈥� and football broadcasts, was the most-watched network.
NBC averaged 3.41 million viewers last week. CBS had 2.71 million, ABC had 2.64 million, Fox had 1.41 million, Ion Television had 1.13 million, Univision had 1.38 million and Telemundo had 980,000.
Fox News Channel lead among cable outlets with an average 3.1 million viewers. MSNBC had 1.38 million, ESPN had 1.25 million, HGTV had 1.15 million and CNN had 985,000.
ABC鈥檚 鈥淲orld News Tonight鈥� led the evening news ratings race, with an average of 8.1 million viewers last week. NBC鈥檚 鈥淣ightly News鈥� was second with 6.9 million and the 鈥淐BS Evening News鈥� had 4.7 million.
For the week of Aug. 23-29, the 20 most-watched programs, their networks and viewerships:
1. 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Got Talent鈥� (Tuesday), NBC, 6.81 million.
2. 鈥�60 Minutes Presents,鈥� CBS, 6.75 million.
3. 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Got Talent鈥� (Wednesday), NBC, 5.79 million.
4. 鈥淭he Five鈥� (Thursday), Fox News Channel, 5.85 million.
5. 鈥淗annity鈥� (Thursday), Fox News Channel, 5.45 million.
6. NFL Pre-season: Cleveland at Atlanta, NBC, 5.1 million.
7. 鈥淭ucker Carlson Tonight" (Thursday), Fox News Channel, 4.99 million.
8. 鈥淎merica's Funniest Home Videos,鈥� ABC, 4.76 million.
9. 鈥淐elebrity Family Feud,鈥� ABC. 4.56 million.
10. 鈥淪pecial Report with Bret Baier鈥� (Tuesday), Fox News Channel, 4.24 million.
11. 鈥淭he Five鈥� (Tuesday), Fox News Channel, 4.17 million.
12. 鈥淏ig Brother鈥� (Sunday), CBS, 4.11 million.
13. 鈥淭he Chase,鈥� ABC, 3.98 million.
14. 鈥淏ig Brother鈥� (Thursday), 3.97 million.
15. 鈥淣ASCAR Cup Series Race,鈥� NBC, 3.93 million.
16. 鈥淏ig Brother鈥� (Wednesday), CBS, 3.8 million.
17. 鈥淭he Ingraham Angle" (Thursday), Fox News Channel, 3.75 million.
18. 鈥淭ucker Carlson Tonight鈥� (Wednesday), Fox News Channel, 3.71 million.
19. 鈥淭ucker Carlson Tonight鈥� (Monday), Fox News Channel, 3.7 million.
20. 鈥淭he Five鈥� (Friday), Fox News Channel, 3.69 million.
___
Lynn Elber, The Associated Press
