In a year marked by significant political upheaval, Fox News Channel emerged as the clear leader in cable news viewership throughout 2024, with a remarkable 30% increase in TV ratings. This surge was notably fueled by the intense coverage of the presidential election, where Fox News capitalized on its audience’s interest in the political narrative.
CNN, not far behind, managed a 20% jump in its ratings, showing resilience amidst a challenging news cycle. However, MSNBC’s growth was more subdued, with only a 4% increase in viewership, suggesting a less impactful response to the election season’s dynamics according to a report from Variety.
Post-election, the landscape shifted dramatically. Both CNN and MSNBC have experienced sharp declines in their viewership numbers. MSNBC’s audience dropped significantly, with some estimates indicating a more than 50% decrease in viewership since the election ended. CNN also faced a substantial viewer exodus, with post-election ratings dipping by about 45%. In contrast, Fox News has maintained much of its gained audience, continuing to command a large share of the cable news market, with some reports suggesting it now holds 72% of the primetime cable news audience.
Analysts attribute Fox News’s sustained success to several factors, including a loyal viewer base, effective coverage of post-election events, and possibly a broader appeal to audiences looking for straightforward news reporting. The sharp decline for CNN and MSNBC, however, points to a potential voter fatigue or dissatisfaction with the networks’ coverage post-election, particularly among viewers who might have tuned in primarily for the election-related content.
The contrast in ratings performance post-election underscores a broader trend in cable news consumption, where network allegiance seems to solidify during major political events but can wane once the event concludes. For CNN and MSNBC, the challenge now is to re-engage their audiences with fresh content or perhaps recalibrating their programming to align more closely with viewer expectations in a post-election world.
This shift in viewership dynamics will likely prompt strategic reassessments at both networks, with potential changes in content direction, anchor line-ups, or even broader shifts in editorial strategy to recapture lost viewers. Meanwhile, Fox News’s dominance in the post-election period suggests it has effectively tapped into or even shaped the current appetite for news among American viewers.