In the ever-evolving landscape of television news, one network has consistently stood out throughout November: Fox News Channel. They've not only maintained their lead but have significantly widened the gap against competitors like CNN and MS NOW, formerly known as MSNBC. Let's dive into the specifics, shall we?
Since the beginning of 2025, Fox News has averaged an impressive 3.2 million weekday primetime viewers. This viewership places them as the second highest-rated network across all of television, surpassing both CBS and NBC. This is a testament to their strong programming and loyal audience.
But here's where it gets interesting: Fox News' dominance isn't just within the cable news sphere; they are also outperforming broadcast offerings. During November, they left CNN and MS NOW in the dust, combining the two networks' viewership. While the exact reasons for these shifts can be debated, it's clear that Fox News has captured a significant portion of the audience.
Looking at the numbers, Fox News averaged 1.4 million total day viewers, compared to MS NOW's 600,000 and CNN's 430,000. CNN experienced its worst November in this category since 2013. During primetime (8-11 p.m.), Fox News averaged over two million total viewers, while MS NOW settled for 945,000. This resulted in MS NOW's worst November performance since 2015. CNN's primetime audience averaged a dismal 556,000, marking their weakest November since 1997. Fox News also held a significant share of the cable news audience, with 57% of the total day viewership and 58% during primetime.
When it comes to the coveted demographic of adults aged 25-54, Fox News led with 123,000 total day viewers, compared to CNN's 70,000 and MS NOW's 55,000. Primetime followed a similar trend, with Fox News averaging 184,000 demo viewers, CNN at 100,000, and MS NOW at 88,000. MS NOW's demo performances were the network's worst November in the category among both total and primetime viewers since 1997.
Several programs played a crucial role in Fox News' success. "The Five" was the most-watched cable news show, averaging 3.6 million total viewers and 293,000 in the key demo. "Jesse Watters Primetime" led all cable news primetime offerings with nearly three million total viewers and 272,000 in the demo. "Gutfeld!" outperformed every broadcast and cable late-night competitor with 2.5 million total viewers and 270,000 in the demo. "Hannity" remained dominant at 9 p.m. ET with 2.4 million viewers and 224,000 in the demo, while "The Ingraham Angle" averaged 2.5 million viewers and 224,000 in the demo. "Special Report with Bret Baier" averaged 2.7 million viewers and 245,000 in the demo, outperforming "CBS Evening News" in 13 major markets. "FOX & Friends" remained the top cable news program in the mornings, leading several broadcast programs in key markets.
And this is the part most people miss: Fox News' strength isn't just in primetime. Their daytime lineup, including shows like "America’s Newsroom," "The Faulkner Focus," and "Outnumbered," also saw strong performances. This consistent performance across the day highlights the network's ability to engage viewers throughout the broadcast day.
Fox News' success extends to weekends as well. "Saturday in America with Kayleigh McEnany" and "Sunday Morning Futures" led the weekend programming. The newly launched "The Sunday Briefing" was the second most-watched cable news program on Sundays. Programs like "FOX & Friends Weekend," "Life, Liberty & Levin," and "Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy" contributed to the network's weekend dominance.
Controversially, some might argue that these numbers reflect a specific audience preference or a particular approach to news coverage. What do you think? Do you believe these ratings accurately represent the current media landscape, or are there other factors at play? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
