Fox News Dominates Third Quarter Ratings, Tops ABC and CBS Through Late Presidential Race Cycle
Fox News recorded its second-highest-rated third quarter in its history with figures that surpassed even broadcast stations like ABC and CBS as it maintained its rating momentum as the most-watched cable news network, marking a staggering 91 consecutive quarters on top in primetime.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the network captured 52% of total day viewers and 53% of the primetime audience this quarter, its highest share since early 2023.
The channel’s audience soared by 43% in total day viewers and 93% in the 25-54 demographic during primetime.
Fox News’s dominance was fueled by viewer attention on historic political coverage throughout the late-stage presidential race and its prime-time lineup. The third quarter saw a record-breaking simulcast of the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, drawing 14.2 million viewers.
The channel also led coverage of breaking news in July following the first attempted assassination of Trump in Pennsylvania and President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 race later that same month.
In primetime, The Five continued to make history as the top non-primetime cable news show for 12 consecutive quarters, drawing 3.5 million viewers. Meanwhile, Hannity retained its position as the most-watched show in the 25-54 demo with 457,000 viewers, and Gutfeld! claimed the title of late-night’s top program with 2.8 million viewers.
MSNBC landed in a solid second place behind Fox in the cable news ratings, while CNN landed in a distant third. NewsNation, notably moved up from 69th place to 57th in the cable prime time ranker as several programs grew their audiences by double digits.
