MSNBC is noting its Q1 gains…

MSNBC enjoyed a blockbuster first quarter, pushing past the competition to achieve more growth than any other cable news network. In total day, MSNBC was up +34% in total viewers over first quarter 2006 (329,000 v. 246,000) and up 36% in the key adult 25-54 demographic (136,000 v. 100,000), according to Nielsen Media Research data. This is the network’s best delivery in total day since the second quarter of 2003 – the start of the Iraq war. In total viewers, CNN was up +15% (502,000 v. 437,000) and Fox News Channel was up only +1% (862,000 v. 867,000).

In primetime (M-F 8:00-11:00 p.m., ET), MSNBC was up a substantial +50% in total viewers (543,000 v. 363,000) and +39% in the adult demo (207,000 v. 149,000), while CNN was up in total viewers by +9% (853,000 v. 783,000) and Fox News Channel was up in total viewers by +6% (1,879,000 v. 1,778,000).

“Imus in the Morning,” which the network simulcasts with WFAN radio between 6:00 and 9:00 a.m. ET, enjoyed a strong quarter of steady growth, up +39% in total viewers (358,000 v. 257,000) and +55% in the adult demo (138,000 v. 89,000), while CNN fell –6% in total viewers (372,000 v. 396,000) and Fox News Channel fell –12% in total viewers (695,000 v. 793,000).

MSNBC’s dayside programming block (M-F 9:00-6:00 p.m. ET) also grew at a healthy clip, up +41% in total viewers (308,000 v. 218,000) and +34% in the adult demo. This block includes “Tucker” (4:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET), which was up +51% in total viewers (343,000 v. 227,000) and +51% in the adult demo (113,000 v. 75,000) and also “Hardball with Chris Matthews” (5:00 – 6:00 p.m. ET), which was up 56% in total viewers (450,000 v. 289,000) and +40% in the adult demo (147,000 v. 105,000). By contrast, CNN’s daytime block was up +24% in total viewers (558,000 v. 449,000) and Fox News Channel was up only +1% (909,000 v. 903,000).

At 6:00 p.m., “Tucker” was up +6% in total viewers (291,000 v. 275,000) and +4% in the adult demo (118,000 v. 113,000) and at 7:00 p.m. “Hardball with Chris Matthews” was up +6% in total viewers (457,000 v. 430,000) and +10% in the adult demo (169,000 v. 153,000).

“Countdown with Keith Olbermann” (8:00 – 9:00 p.m. ET) continues its amazing growth surge, up +76% in total viewers (711,000 v. 404,000) and +54% in the adult demo (252,000 v. 164,000) while CNN dropped –8% in total viewers (583,000 v. 632,000) and Fox News Channel grew +5% in total viewers (2,388,000 v. 2,280,000). “Countdown” maintained its position in second place at 8:00 p.m., while CNN fell to fourth, behind Headline News, which had 648,000 total viewers for the quarter.

At 9:00 p.m. (ET), where the network telecasts “Scarborough Country” Monday through Thursday, the network also enjoyed significant growth, up +48% in total viewers (513,000 v. 347,000) and up +36% in the adult demo (186,000 v. 137,000). CNN was up +12% in total viewers (1139,000 v. 1015,000) and Fox News Channel was up +8% in total viewers (1,740,000 v. 1,618,000).

The network’s “doc block” (M-F 10:00 p.m. – midnight), also saw very nice growth, with a +38% increase in total viewers (388,000 v. 281,000) and a +52% increase in the adult demo (187,000 v. 123,000). CNN was up +14% in total viewers from 10 p.m. to midnight (669,000 v. 586,000) and Fox News Channel was up +4% in total viewers (1,313,000 v. 1,266,000).