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Fox News Channel achieved a record-breaking week, commanding the highest share of the cable news audience in its 28-year history from November 11-17.

The network’s weekly dominance extended across total day and primetime categories, leaving competitors MSNBC and CNN grappling with significant audience losses.

Fox averaged 1.9 million total viewers during the week, the only cable network to surpass the one-million mark. 

ESPN trailed in second place with 837,000 viewers, while Hallmark Channel ranked third with 503,000 viewers.

 MSNBC followed in fourth with 487,000 viewers, and CNN rounded out the top five with a modest 337,000 viewers.

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Trump Victory Shifts Audience Share

The aftermath of President-elect Donald Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris played a crucial role in the shifting audience dynamics.

MSNBC, which appeals largely to liberal viewers, saw its lowest-rated week in more than 25 years. 

The network lost 50% of its audience compared to its 2024 totals and suffered a 43% decline in the critical 25-54 demographic.

CNN fared no better, experiencing double-digit percentage drops across the board and hitting an all-time weekly low in the same key demo, with only 58,000 average viewers.

Such dramatic shifts are not uncommon after contentious elections, particularly for networks catering to one side of the political divide. While executives hope to regain their audience, this was a particularly divisive and venomous election season that presents a unique challenge to cable news audiences.

The election had a huge impact on an already shrinking viewership that had already been turning to online sources. 

Fox News Channel Dominates Ratings

Fox News secured a commanding 69% share of total day cable news viewers for the week, further cementing its position as the leader in cable news. During primetime hours (8-11 p.m. ET), the network averaged three million viewers, surpassing competitors ESPN, Hallmark, and Paramount. 

Fox’s 72% share of cable news primetime viewers dwarfed MSNBC’s 684,000 and CNN’s 464,000.

Additionally, Fox claimed the top 100 cable news telecasts of the week, a feat unparalleled by its competitors. In the advertiser-coveted 25-54 demographic, Fox averaged 236,000 total viewers during the day and 360,000 in primetime, outperforming both CNN and MSNBC for the 194th consecutive week among total viewers and the 185th straight week in the demo.

CNN and MSNBC’s Ratings Collapse

From November 11-17, CNN and MSNBC continued to struggle in the wake of the election. CNN lost 33% of its total viewers and 39% of its demo audience compared to its 2024 averages. 

Primetime numbers were similarly grim, with a 36% decline in viewers. MSNBC shed half its primetime audience and saw several shows hit their lowest ratings ever, including "The Rachel Maddow Show."

Fox’s programs consistently outperformed their counterparts at MSNBC and CNN. Every hour of the Fox News Channel programming outpaced MSNBC and CNN in both total viewers and the key demographic.

Viewers Turn to Fox’s Flagship Shows

A slate of popular Fox News programs contributed to the network’s record-breaking success. Daytime shows like Outnumbered, The Story with Martha MacCallum, The Faulkner Focus, and America’s Newsroom attracted larger audiences than even CBS Mornings on network television.

Prime-time heavyweight The Five, featuring Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, Dana Perino, Jeanine Pirro, and rotating co-hosts Jessica Tarlov and Harold Ford Jr., drew 4.4 million total viewers and 480,000 in the key demo, making it the most-watched program on television. 

Remarkably, The Five outperformed NBC’s Saturday Night Live in total viewers.

Other flagship shows, including Special Report with Bret Baier, The Ingraham Angle, Jesse Watters Primetime, Hannity, Gutfeld, and FOX News @ Night, also delivered significant ratings, helping the network dominate across all time slots.

Weekend programs like Life, Liberty & Levin and Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo topped their respective days, securing Fox’s victory throughout the week.