Fox News Scores Record Ratings: See How CNN & MS NOW Compare
What To Know
- Fox News achieved its highest-ever non-election year ratings in 2025, averaging 2.72 million primetime viewers and outperforming competitors MS NOW and CNN.
- The network’s primetime viewership surpassed NBC and closely trailed CBS and ABC, marking a major milestone for cable news against broadcast networks.
- Fox News dominated cable news programming, with its shows occupying the top 12 spots, including The Five, Jesse Watters Primetime, Gutfeld!, and Hannity.
Fox News is ending the year on a high note, scoring its best ratings ever in a non-election year while giving primetime broadcast networks a run for their money.
According to Nielsen Media Research, released on Monday (December 15), Fox News averaged 2.72 million primetime viewers and 287,000 viewers in the key Adults 25-54 demo in 2025. This was up 14 per cent in total viewers and 18 per cent in the demo compared to 2024.
In comparison, MSNBC (now MS NOW) averaged 923,000 total viewers (down 25 per cent on 2024) and 81,000 demo viewers (down 39 per cent), and CNN averaged 580,000 total viewers (down 15 per cent) and 105,000 demo viewers (down 29 per cent).
The story was the same in total day viewership, with Fox News leading with 1.7 million viewers (up 18 per cent on 2024) and 185,000 demo viewers (down 1 per cent). CNN averaged 436,000 viewers (down 9 per cent) and 71,000 demo viewers (down 22 per cent), while MS NOW averaged 552,000 viewers (down 30 per cent) and 49,000 demo viewers (down 42 per cent).
Fox News also held a higher weekday primetime average than broadcast network NBC, with 3.2 million viewers compared to NBC’s 3.1 million viewers. The cable news channel was only slightly behind CBS (3.208 million viewers) and ABC (3.4 million viewers).
Overall, Fox News scored its highest ratings for the year ever for a non-election year, only second to 2020.
As for programming, Fox News shows made up the Top 12 cable news programs for 2025 in viewers, with The Five, Jesse Watters Primetime, Gutfeld!, and Hannity leading the way.
The Five finished top of the chart for the fourth year running, averaging its best ratings ever with 4.1 million viewers and 382,000 in the 25-54 demo. Frequent Five co-host Greg Gutfeld also had success with his own program, Gutfeld!, which delivered its highest-ever demo viewership, averaging 362,000.
Jesse Watters Primetime was the most-watched cable news program in primetime, averaging 3.6 million viewers and 377,000 in the key demo, while Laura Ingraham‘s The Ingraham Angle averaged 3 million viewers and 309,000 demo viewers, making Ingraham the highest-rated woman in cable news.
Meanwhile, Hannity dominated weeknights at 9 pm ET with an average of 3.2 million viewers and 353,000 in the 25-54 demo.
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C
Common sense prevails now.
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F
I get so sick of Hannity always interrupting FBI director when his own stupid stories. His ratings have to be in the tank by now! Time to move to weekends.
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L
lol
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V
It’s no wonder that millions of gullible American’s are brainwashed by Donald Trump’s numerous lie’s! The majority of opinionated host’s on Fox News are far right wing sycophantic mouthpieces for Donald Trump! MAGA ? #TrumpEpsteinCoverUp #IranIllegalWar costing US taxpayers over 11.5 billion without a clear plan or end game! Prices for all tariffed imported goods utilities, housing, and gas prices are now rising from the unauthorized war, making it harder for middle class families, retirees on fixed incomes and farmers to get by on their incomes. Trump’s wasted more money on frivolous lawsuits, big golden ballrooms, golf trips, plastering his name on everything he can. Rural voter’s worry about our mail in ballots being taken away and made voting harder because of his election lies!
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R
You have got to be kidding me, how is your Trump arrangement syndrome? You must be a CNN watcher along with about 200,000 other idiots that do nothing but lie and twist the truth. How about a pilot that just hijacked the plane and stabbedanother pilot. No mention of the fact that he was trying to crash the plane into Israel and screamed Allah Akbar, but he was just a disgruntled pilot. That’s one example of your idiotic lies. You’re nothing but a demo radical. Trump has gotten more investment into the country than any three presidents. How about Biden what a dream he was. 9% inflation over five dollars a gallon gas. Let’s go back to that. At least Trump does do interviews and talks almost every day to the press and to the people. They’re always working on something. As far as the ballroom goes, it would be a great idea for security and it is not costing anything. Trump doesn’t even take a salary. Get some help. Have a great day🤣
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