MSNBC, CNN & Fox News Ratings for May 2025 Show Dramatic Swings
The May ratings for cable news networks MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News are in, with the former two seeing continued declines and the latter continuing to show impressive growth.
In primetime programming for the month of May 2025, Fox News was up 23% with an average of 2.46 million viewers. Meanwhile, MSNBC had an average 877,000 viewers, which was down 24%, and CNN raked in an average 426,000, down 18%. Total day programming saw Fox News at an average of 1.56 million viewers (up 21%), MSNBC down 33% with an average of 545,000 viewers, and CNN down 24% with 353,000 average viewers.
With 2024 being an election year and generally bringing more viewers to cable news shows, the post-election decline is not surprising. But seeing a double-digit drop on MSNBC and CNN is likely concerning for the networks.
In the coveted 25-54 demo, Fox News averaged 262,000 viewers in primetime, which was up 32%, while CNN averaged 76,000 (down 21%), and MSNBC averaged 73,000 (down 34%). For total day in that demo, Fox News was up 22% with 180,000 average viewers, but CNN was down 27% with 59,000 average viewers, and MSNBC averaged 49,000 viewers (down 41%)
Overall, the most-viewed cable news show of the month was The Five on Fox News, which brought in an average of 3.77 million viewers. Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime followed close behind with 3.23 million, along with some of the network’s other standouts, Gutfeld! (2.92 million), Special Report With Bret Baier (2.81 million), and Hannity (2.73 million).
Over at MSNBC, the top-rated show was The Rachel Maddow Show, which brought in an average of 1.89 million viewers. Host Rachel Maddow ended her post-inauguration nightly broadcast and returned to just one show a week at the end of April. The Briefing With Jen Psaki saw an average of 950,000 viewers, which was down from the old show in its time slot, Alex Wagner Tonight, which averaged 1.3 million during its 2022 to 2025 run.
All in With Chris Hayes averaged 912,000 in May, while The Weeknight averaged 772,000 viewers, down from ReidOut‘s final month in February, which averaged 955,000.
Conversation45 Comments
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You did not include Newsmax. Their Ratings is increasing including Fox News?
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Newsmax is not news. Everyone knows that.
7 19
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I disagree. I only watch Newsmax. They seem pretty fair and balanced more so then Fox
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Scott Jennings is the only reason CNN isn’t sinking faster.
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Scott Jennings the arrogant mansplainer that mugs to the camera every night? That Scott Jennings? 😂
8 11
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Scott Jennings is one of the reasons CNN lacks credibility. CNN is truly one of the most terrible places to get your news from.
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B
Well, if they'd learn how to own up to all the bad reporting and lies they've told over the last few years and actually get some real reporters, then their rating might go up. But no one wants to listen to their load of BS anymore.
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O
I watch MeidasTouch on YouTube.
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The networks and other mainstream cable news leans liberal left. Honestly, I used to watch every news source EXCEPT conservative news and when I did finally pay attention, I got a different point of view that led me to believe that truth has to be somewhere in between. If news should be anything, it should be factual, fair, and balanced…and trustworthy. The media, from ALL sides need to do better. I really miss just “watching the news “ and feeling like I’ve been “caught up”. Now, the stories seek to invoke a visceral reaction and everything is about politics or power. Very disappointing and disheartening.
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They're all owned by right wing billionaires, so I think this left leaning liberal bias you're talking about is just you not liking the truth when they talk about something you disagree with.
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CNN is a big beautiful disgrace
8 1
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O
Really? Which network got sued and lost for lying to the public about the 2020 election? If you recall, that was Fox. People watch Fox because they don’t want to hear the truth. They only want a repeat of the lies Trump tells them.
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What a great win for DJT,the american people and parents this week.Man we just keep on winning.Do you ever get fed up with loosing all the time,I mean all the time.Looks like a Nobel Peace Prize is in order,at least one if not more.
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TRUMP WINS AGAIN,YOU MUST BE SICK OF LOSING EVERYDAY.
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He's repulsive. One of the reasons my husband and I quit watching.
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Fox is going up. They lost over 800 million$$$ for lies, and still have pending lawsuits. People apparently like right wing lies.
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You know who else also lies, has past and present lawsuits? CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN and MSNBC.
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CNN is a propaganda machine,
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CNN is a disgrace that’s pandering to the right, no surprise it’s losing viewership. While Fox News, on the other hand just becomes more unhinged and that’s what its viewers want. I’ll never tune into CNN and will continue to get my news from Brian Tyler Cohen and other independent media that don’t censor news. Legacy media needs to be a thing of the past
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So why are you here?
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G
Surely nobody is Surprised by the continued decline by both! They have been exposed for the blatant and deliberate lies,coverups and fraud on the American people for the last decade especially and no longer have any trust or credibility with the American people!!! So far out of touch with reality it’s pure insanity!!! But it was deliberately self-inflicted and karma is the brutal punishment deserved for both!!!
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C
CNN and MSNBC are all opinionated shows not true news.
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O
Well...that's what MSNBC gets. They need to pay attention. I'll take any news that's sound and truthful. But in today's economy and society, that varies because analysts don't know how to have healthy dialogue and be objective. When MSNBC dropped Joy, I knew the ratings would fall, and the Weeknight is not even winning when compared to Joy. AGAIN, for any hater that is inevitably going to comment because I didn't mention Fox News, I'll will take ANY NEWS from any network if it is sound and truthful, not biased and political. I know what I see from the humans, and I know what I hear coming from the humans mouth. Trying to hide that or call it A.I. doesn't work. MSNBC made a huge mistake, and Joy will prosper forward as a result.
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no one should be silenced! Let the viewers decide!
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One thing that is consistent and hasn’t changed is TDS.
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800 million is pocket change to them and besides I’m pretty sure they have made plenty of money to cover that with their ratings being so much higher than MSNBC and CNN.
In the coveted 25-54 demo, Fox News averaged 262,000 viewers in primetime, which was up 32%, while CNN averaged 76,000 (down 21%), and MSNBC averaged 73,000 (down 34%). For total day in that demo, Fox News was up 22% with 180,000 average viewers, but CNN was down 27% with 59,000 average viewers, and MSNBC averaged 49,000 viewers (down 41%)
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Spoken like a true liberal Democrat
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C
Who nominated him for a Nobel? Was it Netanyahu? Do you think it's because djt finally did what Israel has been trying to get our last 4 presidents to do and he knows Donnie loves when people suck up to him? It's a possibility. On a separate note, if the 🍊 guy wasn't all over Epsteins list, don't you think he would want nothing more than to release it? That's rhetorical. Of course he would. Yet, you still support him.
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They are all fake! But which news organization had to fork out 875 million dollars for lying about the 2020 election?
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No, that would be sleepy Joe’s.
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And the constitution supports journalistic malfeasance, ok…,freedom of speech and lies. Got it.
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The NEWS portion of FOX is almost identical to liberal media news but in a few areas: FOX Is more thorough and covers more news.
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B
Well, a lot of us get our news from unbiased online articles and don't watch any propaganda tv news stations like Fox and MSNBC. So even 2+ million Fox viewers isn't saying much.
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Are you at all familiar with a small document called The United States Constitution? Give it a read sometime.
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Tell it to these arrogant judges, who hate the constitution and America moving forward.
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Fox News leans heavily right-wing, often acting as a mouthpiece for Republican talking points. Its audience, predominantly white and over 60, drives its high ratings, with many viewers behaving like they’re in a cult, fixated on its narratives. Younger and more diverse audiences typically turn to digital and social media for news over cable.
12 19
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I must concur with Americanus. I presume "Fox News leans heavily right-wing" is the comment because they actually tell the truth? - as apposed to the unsubstantiated rubbish that CNN and MSNBC sprout. Democrats are seriously behaving like naughty children and the legacy news keep pandering to their tantrums. By the way, I am not an American but I can read and am capable of verifying reported news.
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Younger and diverse is like giving a child a credit card with no max credit limit, thats why dems will never get control again
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You just like the crazy righties.
11 18
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You are a victim of mis information which is aimed at lower IQ individuals who are susceptible to con and lack an ability to process complex subjects. Do you think there is a reason 90 percent of the previous Republicans in Government think Trump is a lying grifter?
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Hi Donald Taco
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Bite me
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You are confusing that station with the current White House
10 23
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Newsmax is not news. Everyone knows that.
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Whenever anyone, right or left says "everybody knows" or "nobody knows," that's the clue that they're blowing smoke.
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