Fox News Shatters Records In First Quarter Of 2025, Dominating Cable News Landscape

Fox News has reached unprecedented heights in the first quarter of 2025, outpacing its competitors by a significant margin and setting new records for total viewership. The network notched its highest-ever total day ratings, commanding an overwhelming 65% share of the cable news audience. With this surge, Fox has reinforced its dominance in the industry, leaving rivals CNN and MSNBC trailing far behind.

In total day viewership, Fox News averaged an impressive 1.92 million viewers, while CNN and MSNBC reported 428,000 and 593,000 average viewers, respectively. This disparity is even more pronounced in prime time, where Fox attracted 3 million viewers on average, compared to CNN’s 558,000 and MSNBC’s 1 million. These numbers underscore the growing gap between Fox and its competitors, especially when you consider Fox’s record-breaking 66% share of prime time viewership.

Compared to the first quarter of 2024, Fox News saw a significant surge, with an increase of 48% in total viewers and an even more impressive 58% increase in the coveted 25-54 age demographic. This demographic shift is particularly notable, as it highlights Fox’s growing appeal to a younger, advertiser-friendly audience. Meanwhile, CNN and MSNBC both experienced declines. CNN was down 8% in total viewers and 7% in the 25-54 demo, while MSNBC suffered a much steeper drop, falling 27% in total day viewers and 30% in the key demographic.

Fox’s prime time performance was similarly strong, up 46% in total viewers and 63% in the demo compared to the same period last year. CNN’s prime time viewership dropped 6%, while MSNBC saw an alarming 18% decrease in total viewers and 21% drop in the 25-54 demo.

This surge in ratings has not gone unnoticed in the advertising world. Fox has attracted a host of major new advertisers, including global brands like Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Netflix, and UBS. The network’s resurgence in the ratings and its growing appeal among younger viewers have contributed to a flood of blue-chip companies signing on to advertise.

Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch also pointed to the shifting political landscape as a factor in the network’s success. “Because of the election results, many advertisers have rethought their positioning in this country and understand that the Fox News viewer really does represent middle America,” he said. This insight has translated into significant financial backing for the network, further solidifying its position as a leader in the cable news industry.

One of Fox’s standout success stories this quarter has been The Five, which not only continues to be a ratings juggernaut but also broke yet another record for being the most-watched show on cable news, despite airing outside of prime time. The show averaged 4.6 million viewers, with 499,000 in the key demo. This marks the 14th consecutive quarter that The Five has held the title of the most-watched show on cable news. Other Fox programs also enjoyed significant growth, with Bret Baier seeing a remarkable 58% boost in total viewers and a staggering 89% increase in the demo year-over-year. Baier even managed to beat CBS Evening News in the ratings four times during the quarter.

With its ratings soaring and its advertising revenue growing, Fox News has cemented its position as the undisputed leader in cable news. As the network continues to expand its reach and appeal to advertisers, the competition from CNN and MSNBC seems poised to remain in Fox’s rearview mirror for the foreseeable future.

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