Fox News Dominates Ratings, Outpaces Broadcast Rivals and Cable Competitors

Fox News Channel has once again asserted its dominance in the media landscape, achieving higher viewership than both ABC and NBC during primetime last week, according to Nielsen Media Research data. The network’s impressive performance extends beyond broadcast rivals, as it significantly outperformed its cable news competitors across the board. This marks a notable shift in the media consumption habits of Americans, as a cable news channel surpasses major broadcast networks in viewership, despite being available in fewer homes and requiring a paid subscription.

During the week of March 10-16, Fox News averaged 3 million viewers during primetime, surpassing Disney-owned ABC’s 2.8 million and NBC’s 2.6 million average viewers. This achievement underscores the network’s strong appeal to a broad audience and its ability to capture a significant share of the television viewing market.

The dominance of Fox News is further highlighted by its performance against cable news competitors. The network’s primetime audience of 3 million viewers doubled ESPN’s 1.5 million average viewership, demonstrating its clear lead in the cable news arena. Moreover, Fox News’ viewership exceeded the combined viewership of MSNBC and CNN, solidifying its position as the top cable news network in the country.

Beyond primetime, Fox News also emerged as the top cable network in total day viewership, attracting 1.8 million viewers. This figure far surpasses ESPN’s 740,000 viewers, MSNBC’s 635,000 viewers, and CNN’s 420,000 viewers, showcasing the network’s consistent appeal throughout the day.

The network’s success extends to its digital platforms as well. Fox News Digital outperformed CNN and The New York Times in key metrics during February, solidifying its position as the top news brand across all platforms. This achievement highlights the network’s ability to attract and engage audiences through its online presence, further expanding its reach and influence.

Fox News’ dominance in the cable news landscape is further emphasized by its consistent performance over time. The network has aired the top 827 cable news telecasts since Election Day, demonstrating its unwavering popularity and its ability to capture audience attention during critical news events.

In addition to overall viewership, Fox News also leads among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults aged 25-54. The network averaged 361,000 demo viewers during primetime, significantly outperforming CNN’s 115,000 and MSNBC’s 99,000 viewers in this key demographic. The trend continues throughout the day, with Fox News averaging 234,000 demo viewers compared to CNN’s 72,000 and MSNBC’s 54,000. This strong performance among the 25-54 age group is particularly valuable to advertisers, as it indicates the network’s ability to reach a highly desirable audience.

The appeal of Fox News extends to its coverage of major news events. Over 10 million viewers tuned in to watch Fox News’ inauguration coverage, exceeding the viewership of all other networks. This underscores the network’s ability to attract a large audience during critical moments in history.

While Fox News’ success is undeniable, it’s important to note that other cable networks also cater to specific audience segments. FX, ESPN 2, Food Network, TNT, ID Discovery, HGTV, and Comedy Central were among the 12 basic cable offerings that drew more of the viewers most sought-after by advertisers than MSNBC.

Several Fox News programs have played a key role in the network’s overall success. "The Five," featuring Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, Dana Perino, Jeanine Pirro, and rotating co-hosts Jessica Tarlov and Harold Ford Jr., averaged 4.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched program on cable news. The show has surpassed the 4-million viewer plateau for 17 consecutive weeks and even outperformed CBS Evening News in viewership, demonstrating its broad appeal and strong connection with viewers.

"Jesse Watters Primetime" also contributed significantly to Fox News’ success, averaging 4 million total viewers and topping cable news with 478,000 viewers in the key demo. This highlights the show’s popularity among both general viewers and the advertiser-coveted 25-54 age group.

Other Fox News programs have also demonstrated strong performance. "The Will Cain Show," "Special Report with Bret Baier," "Hannity," and "FOX News @ Night" all had successful weeks, further bolstering the network’s overall ratings. "Gutfeld!" also made a significant impact, outdrawing CBS’ "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," ABC’s "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and NBC’s "The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon." This achievement showcases the show’s ability to compete with traditional late-night entertainment programs and attract a significant audience.

Fox News’ daytime programming also contributed to its overall success, surpassing broadcast competition in several instances. "The Faulkner Focus" with Harris Faulkner, "America Reports" with John Roberts and Sandra Smith, "The Story" with Martha MacCallum, and "America’s Newsroom" with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino all outperformed CBS Mornings, NBC’s Today Third Hour, NBC’s Today with Jenna & Friends, and NBC News Daily.

The success of Fox News highlights its ability to resonate with a large segment of the American population. Its combination of news, analysis, and opinion programming has proven to be a winning formula, attracting a loyal audience and consistently outperforming its competitors. The network’s dominance in both overall viewership and the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults aged 25-54 underscores its continued relevance and influence in the media landscape.

In contrast, MSNBC’s primetime lineup experienced its worst January ever among the demographic coveted by advertisers, highlighting the challenges faced by the network in attracting and retaining viewers in this key segment.