Fox News Channel Dominates Viewership During President Trump’s Address to Congress
In a resounding demonstration of its audience reach, Fox News Channel emerged as the undisputed leader in viewership during President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress. The network’s coverage significantly outpaced all competitors, both in cable and broadcast news, solidifying its position as a primary source of information and analysis for a substantial segment of the American population.
A staggering 10.7 million viewers tuned in to Fox News’ broadcast of the address, which aired from 9:15 to 11 p.m. ET. This impressive figure included 1.9 million viewers within the highly sought-after demographic of adults aged 25-54, a key target for advertisers. The total viewership across all Fox linear platforms, encompassing Fox Network and Fox Business, reached approximately 13.8 million, further highlighting the network’s extensive reach.
The dominance of Fox News was particularly evident when compared to the three major broadcast networks. ABC trailed far behind with 6.3 million viewers, followed by CBS with four million and NBC with 3.9 million. CNN and MSNBC both struggled to reach two million viewers, each recording 1.9 million viewers. However, CNN slightly surpassed MSNBC in the crucial 25-54 demographic, with 585,000 viewers compared to MSNBC’s 237,000.
Fox News captured a remarkable 74% of the total cable news audience share during the address, and 70% of the audience share within the 25-54 demographic. This overwhelming dominance underscored the network’s ability to attract and retain a significant portion of the cable news audience, particularly during significant political events.
The network maintained its viewership lead even during the post-address analysis and the Democratic response, which was delivered by Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, between 11 and 11:30 p.m. Fox News continued to attract 6.4 million total viewers, including over one million in the 25-54 demographic. In comparison, MSNBC garnered 2.2 million total viewers and 233,000 in the key demographic, while CNN attracted 1.4 million total viewers and 362,000 in the same demographic.
The special coverage on Fox News was co-anchored by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, and featured contributions from "The Five" co-hosts Dana Perino and Harold Ford Jr., Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume, and Fox Business host Larry Kudlow. The experienced team provided comprehensive coverage, analysis, and commentary on the President’s address, offering viewers diverse perspectives on the key issues and policy proposals discussed.
President Trump’s address to Congress began on a contentious note when Representative Al Green, a Democrat from Texas, was escorted out of the House chamber after disrupting the proceedings with repeated shouts directed at the President.
In his address, Trump acknowledged the persistent opposition from Democrats to his agenda. "This is my fifth such speech to Congress, and once again, I look at the Democrats in front of me, and I realize there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy, or to make them stand or smile or applaud, nothing I can do," Trump stated. He continued, "I could find a cure to the most devastating disease, a disease that would wipe out entire nations or announce the answers to the greatest economy in history, or the stoppage of crime to the lowest levels ever recorded. And these people sitting right here will not clap, will not stand, and certainly will not cheer for these astronomical achievements. They wont do it no matter what. Five- five times Ive been up here! Its very sad, and it just shouldnt be this way."
The President then extended an invitation to the Democrats, urging them to collaborate for the sake of the nation. "For just this one night, why not join us in celebrating so many incredible wins for America? For the good of our nation. Lets work together and lets truly make America great again," Trump said.
The address also featured several emotional and uplifting moments. A 13-year-old brain cancer survivor, DJ Daniel, received a standing ovation after being made an honorary Secret Service agent during the speech. Trump also honored Alexis Nungaray, the mother of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was murdered by illegal immigrants, by announcing that his administration would rename the Texas Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in memory of her daughter.
Furthermore, the President recognized Marc Fogel, an American teacher who was rescued by the Trump administration after being held captive in a Russian prison, and his 95-year-old mother Malphine, who had appealed to Trump to rescue her son during his campaign. Trump also paid tribute to the family of Corey Comperatore, a firefighter who tragically lost his life while protecting his family at the Butler rally where Trump was nearly assassinated.
The address aimed to highlight the achievements of the administration and promote a message of unity, despite the deep divisions within the political landscape. The substantial viewership numbers for Fox News during the address indicate the significant interest in the President’s message and the network’s role in disseminating information and shaping public discourse surrounding political events. The network’s ability to consistently attract and retain a large audience demonstrates its position as a leading source of news and analysis for a considerable segment of the American population.
