Podcasters and social media personalities are getting deserved praise for their growing influence, but November’s TV ratings serve as a reminder that Fox News Channel is still the go-to destination for political and election news.
Since the Nov. 5 election, Fox News has dominated its competition—both cable and network TV—with more than 4 million prime-time viewers (from 8-11 p.m. ET), according to Nielsen Media Research data. That makes Fox News the most-watched network, beating legacy media networks ABC, CBS, and NBC in prime-time.
In terms of market share, Fox News commanded 73% of the prime-time cable news audience as CNN’s and MSNBC’s ratings cratered following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.
Following the election, CNN’s prime-time audience was down 39% and MSNBC’s dropped 52%. In raw numbers, CNN reached 453,000 and MSBNC had 644,000 viewers.
November’s ratings mark the 45th consecutive month with Fox News as the No. 1 cable news network in prime time and total day viewership.
The top five shows in November were all on Fox News:
- “The Five” (4,423,000 total viewers)
- “Jesse Watters Primetime” (3,945,000)
- “The Ingraham Angle” (3,316,000)
- “Gutfeld!” (3,299,000)
- “Special Report” (3,265,000)
Fox News saw some of its biggest gains in November among the coveted 25- to 54-year-old demographic, growing its year-over-year prime-time viewership by 147% (compared to 86% overall). It also made gains among independents and Democrats, and was the top cable news channel for Asians and Hispanics.
These postelection gains coincided with Trump’s flurry of Cabinet appointments and other news. But on Election Day itself, Fox News was also besting the competition. The network had nearly 13.6 million viewers across all its platforms. It marked the second consecutive election that Fox News beat ABC, CBS, NBC, and all cable news networks.
Fox News’ dominance doesn’t take anything away from the podcasters or social media influencers whose content went viral during the 2024 presidential campaign. They will play an increasingly relevant role in politics as audiences consume their news differently in the future.
But it would be a mistake to discount cable TV. Most voters still get their political news from networks like Fox News.
An exit poll conducted by RMG Research in November revealed that 47% of voters rely on television as the most common way to follow political and election news. Podcasts, by contrast, were at just 5%.
What is the most common way you get political and election news?
- 47% Television
- 18% Social media
- 17% News websites or apps
- 8% Search through Google or other search engines
- 5% Podcasts
- 2% Radio
- 2% Print newspapers or magazines
- 2% None of these
With strong viewership and growth among key demographics, Fox News continues to set the standard. Add to that its dominating digital footprint at FoxNews.com and some of the best talent on TV, and this media powerhouse leaves its rivals in the dust.
