Fox News has highest-rated non-election year ever

Fox News Channel had its highest-rated non-election year in its history in 2025, as Americans continued to rely on the system. record network for critical news and analysis, based on final data from Nielsen Media Research.

Fox News dominated all of cable for the 10th year in a row with its second highest-rated year in history. Along the way, “The Five,” starring Dana Perino, Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, Jessica Tarlov and Harold Ford Jr., once again became the most-watched cable news show, and even finished with a larger audience than “CBS Evening News.”

“Delivering another record-breaking year, surpassing broadcast networks and reaching new heights on YouTube is a testament to the strength of our brand and our ability to meet audiences where they are. I am incredibly proud of our unmatched team, on and off camera, whose journalism, global news-gathering skills and powerful voices continue to set the standard for reporting and connecting with Americans nationwide. FOX News Media » said CEO Suzanne Scott.

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Fox News averaged 1.7 million total viewers per day, leading all basic cable, while No. 2 ESPN averaged just 790,000. MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) managed a total of 551,000 viewers per day and CNN settled for 432,000 as cable news competitors failed to surpass Fox News combined.

In prime time, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., Fox News averaged 2.7 million viewers to finish atop the cable landscape. ESPN was second with two million, MS NOW third with 915,000, and TNT fourth with an average prime-time audience of 750,000. CNN averaged just 573,000 viewers in prime time, falling behind HGTV and TBS to finish seventh.

Along the way, Fox News achieved its largest cable news audience share since its launch in 1996, both in daytime and prime time.

Fox News also obliterated CNN and MS NOW among the coveted advertiser demographic of adults 25-54, averaging 180,000 viewers per day in the critical category, compared to 70,000 for CNN and just 48,000 for MS NOW.

The results were similar in prime time, as Fox News aired a demo to an average of 278,000 viewers while CNN had 102,000. This was CNN’s worst demo performance ever, both among total viewers and in prime time.

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It was bleak for MS NOW in primetime, as the network finished with an average primetime audience of just 80,000 demo viewers to finish behind 17 cable options, including Nick-at-Nite, Adult Swim, FX, Comedy Central and TLC. This is MS NOW’s worst performance in the demo since MSNBC launched in 1997.

Fox News saw increases in both daytime and primetime viewers compared to 2024, while CNN and MS NOW saw declines across the board. Additionally, Fox News was the fastest growing network in all of television, with viewers in both categories.

While Fox News left CNN and MS NOW in the dust, it also averaged 3.1 million weekday primetime viewers to beat NBC while closing the gap with ABC and CBS.

“The Five,” “Jesse Watters Primetime,” “Hannity,” “Special Report with Bret Baier,” “Gutfeld!”, “The Ingraham Angle,” “The Will Cain Show,” “Outnumbered” with co-hosts Harris Faulkner, Emily Compagno and Kayleigh McEnany, “The Faulkner Focus,” “America’s Newsroom” with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino, “The Story” with Martha MacCallum and “America Reports” with Sandra Smith and John Roberts ranks among the top 12 cable news programs in total viewers.

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“The Five” continued to make history by scoring the prize for the fourth year in a row largest audience in cable news.

“Gutfeld!” » achieved its highest-rated year in program history in both categories, averaging 3.1 million total viewers and 358,000 among the demo. Greg Gutfeld’s show ranked as the most-watched show on late-night television, edging out CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” ABC, NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

“The Ingraham Angle” dominated its time slot as Laura Ingraham once again finished the year as the top-rated woman in cable news with three million viewers, while “Jesse Watters Primetime” averaged 3.6 million to finish as the No. 1 cable news program in primetime viewers.

“Hannity” topped its time slot with 3.2 million viewers and “FOX News @ Night with Trace Gallagher” topped the 11 p.m. ET time with 1.7 million viewers.

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“Special Report with Bret Baier” attracted more than 3.1 million viewers and 317,000 in the demo while continuing to close the gap with the broadcast competition. On February 28, Baier’s interview with President Zelensky following his Oval Office meeting with President Trump reached a peak 6.4 million viewers and 855,000 in the demo to lead both “CBS Evening News” and “NBC Nightly News.”

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“FOX & Friends” dominated the cable morning news landscape as the top-rated morning show for the 25th consecutive year with 1.4 million viewers, surpassing “CBS Mornings” in 24 markets, including New York and Chicago. “FOX & Friends” also beat ABC’s “Good Morning America” in 15 markets and NBC’s “Today” in seven markets.

“FOX News Live” finished Saturday as the most-watched cable news show with 1.6 million viewers, while “Life, Liberty and Levin” took the primetime crown with 1.5 million viewers. On Sunday, “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo” took the title with nearly two million average viewers to finish as the most-watched cable news program on the weekend.

Additionally, throughout 2025 on YouTube, Fox News racked up 4.3 billion video views, a 57% increase from 2024. This was Fox News’ best year on YouTube, ahead of MS NOW, CNN, NBC News, ABC News and CBS News, according to Emplifi.

Ratings data provided by Nielsen Media Research.