FOX News Channel (FNC) has marked a significant milestone in cable news history, achieving its highest-rated quarter ever with weekday total day viewers averaging 2.2 million in the first quarter of 2025, according to Nielsen Media Research data released on April 1. During primetime hours from 8-11 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, FNC averaged 3.6 million viewers, surpassing major broadcast networks ABC and NBC, which collectively averaged 3.1 million viewers for the quarter. This performance also saw FNC secure a 65% share of the total day cable news audience and 66% in primetime, reflecting its broad appeal across diverse viewer demographics, including notable viewership among Independents, Democrats, Hispanics, and Asians, as reported by Nielsen MRI Fusion.
ABC and NBC’s viewership is almost more interesting as they have seen a steady decline in TV viewership over the last 10 years. With the growth of cord cutting, many have switched away from watching entertainment programming on live TV and over to on-demand services. This has left news and sports as two of the things people still watch live.
In the first quarter, several FNC programs outperformed their broadcast counterparts. “The Five,” airing at 5 p.m. ET, averaged 4.6 million viewers and 500,000 in the 25-54 demographic, making it the most-watched non-primetime cable news show for 14 consecutive quarters and outpacing broadcast hits like American Idol and Survivor. “Special Report with Bret Baier” at 6 p.m. ET drew 3.5 million viewers, bolstered by high-profile interviews such as one with Elon Musk on March 27 (3.8 million viewers) and Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy on February 28 (5.2 million viewers), surpassing CBS Evening News on five occasions. Late-night offering “Gutfeld!” at 10 p.m. ET averaged 3.3 million viewers, topping all broadcast late-night shows including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
FNC’s dominance extended to major political events, leading all television coverage during the quarter. On Inauguration Day, the network drew 11.4 million viewers, significantly outpacing ABC (4.9 million), NBC (4.8 million), and CBS (4.6 million), while President Trump’s March 4 address to Congress garnered 10.7 million viewers, beating ABC (6.3 million), CBS (4 million), and NBC (3.9 million). In contrast, competitors CNN and MSNBC experienced declines, with CNN posting its lowest-ever 25-54 demo in total day at 79,000 viewers, and both networks seeing drops in total day and primetime viewership year-over-year.
Across the Monday-Sunday total day, FNC averaged 1.9 million viewers, up 48% from the first quarter of 2024, and 247,000 in the 25-54 demo, up 58%. Primetime numbers showed 3 million viewers (up 46%) and 380,000 in the 25-54 demo (up 63%). Daytime programming also shone, with “America’s Newsroom” (9-11 a.m. ET) averaging 2.3 million viewers, “The Faulkner Focus” (11 a.m. ET) at 2.4 million, and “Outnumbered” (12 p.m. ET) at 2.5 million, each outdrawing broadcast morning shows like CBS Mornings and NBC’s Today Third Hour. “The Will Cain Show” at 4 p.m. ET saw a 74% viewer increase over last year’s slot average, pulling in 2.6 million.
FNC’s weekend lineup further solidified its lead, with “Sunday Morning Futures” at 10 a.m. ET topping Sunday viewership at 2.2 million, and “My View with Lara Trump” leading Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET with 1.8 million. For March alone, FNC averaged 1.9 million total day viewers (up 43%) and 3.1 million in primetime (up 47%), securing 95 of the top 100 cable telecasts. This quarter’s success follows FNC’s trend of 93 consecutive quarters as cable news’ primetime leader, a streak dating back to 2002, amid a shifting media landscape where cable costs soar (19.4% pay over $200 monthly, per a Cord Cutters News survey) and streaming rises.
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