CNN found itself in the uncharacteristic No. 2 spot when it fell behind Fox in the ratings last year. For 2002, Fox averaged 1.2 million viewers in primetime while CNN averaged 898,000.

MSNBC averaged 775,000. Sunday’s total-day viewer averages had CNN in front with 1.1 million vs. FNC’s 979,000 and MSNBC’s 457,000. Out of picture ...