Fox News Achieves Record Ratings in 2025
In 2025, Fox News Channel reached its highest ratings ever for a non-election year, showcasing its continued dominance in providing vital information and analysis to viewers. It’s interesting, right? How a network can still shine so brightly outside of election cycles.
The network not only captured the second-highest ratings in history but is also on track to surpass NBC for the third spot in overall prime-time viewership. It’s kind of remarkable, really, how Fox News has, well, really carved out its place as a leader in cable television.
Commenting on this success, Suzanne Scott, CEO of FOX News Media, expressed pride in their team’s effort. She said that the achievement, which includes topping broadcast networks and gaining traction on YouTube, reflects the brand’s strength and its commitment to meeting viewers where they are. It’s nice to see such acknowledgment for hard work, isn’t it?
Fox News averaged 1.7 million daily viewers, outpacing ESPN, which managed only 775,000 viewers. To put this in perspective, MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) had 552,000 daily viewers, while CNN trailed even further with just 436,000. It’s a tough landscape, but clearly, Fox is setting the pace.
Recognition Within the Network
The FOX News Media Spotlight Awards recognized outstanding team members for their exceptional contributions in 2025. It’s always good to see recognition for those who go the extra mile.
During prime time, from 8 to 11 p.m., Fox News averaged an impressive 2.7 million viewers, significantly ahead of ESPN’s 2 million and MS NOW’s 923,000. CNN lagged behind with only 580,000 prime-time viewers, which is a bit surprising given its past performance.
For the tenth consecutive year, Fox News ranked as the number one cable network, capturing 64% of cable news viewers during both daytime and prime time. This is the best share since it launched in 1996—quite a milestone.
In the crucial 25-54 demographic, Fox News also dominated, averaging 185,000 daily viewers compared to CNN’s 71,000 and MS NOW’s 49,000. The comparisons paint a clear, if not somewhat disheartening, picture for the competition.
It’s worth noting that Fox News saw an increase in viewership compared to 2024, while CNN and MS NOW experienced declines. Seems like they’re onto something that resonates. Perhaps consistency is key here.
Fox News vs. Competition
Fox News has also been leading against CBS and NBC in key metrics through November. While its prime-time viewership stood at 3.2 million, which puts it ahead of NBC’s 3.1 million, the competition is still fierce.
Some of the top programs included “The Five,” which made history as the most-watched cable news show for four consecutive years, averaging 4.1 million viewers. It’s a phenomenon, really, when a show can capture the audience’s attention like that.
Additionally, “Gutfeld!” saw its highest ratings ever with 3.1 million total viewers. Greg Gutfeld managed to outshine some of the biggest late-night shows, which is quite an achievement. Who would have thought?
Special Recognition
Trey Yingst received the 2025 Excellence in Foreign Reporting Award, highlighting Fox News’s commitment to strong journalism. This kind of recognition really emphasizes the importance of quality reporting, which we all can appreciate.
As for the morning shows, “FOX & Friends” continued its reign as the highest-rated morning show, averaging 1.4 million viewers, outstripping its competitors in various markets. And probably not without some friendly competition behind the scenes.
Overall, throughout 2025, Fox News amassed 4.3 billion video views on YouTube, indicating a 57% rise from the previous year. That’s some serious growth, suggesting that viewers are engaging more than ever with the content.
These ratings data come courtesy of Nielsen Media Research, offering a glimpse into the current landscape of cable news and highlighting how pivotal Fox News remains in this space.
