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.
