Fox News Boosts YouTube Presence as Traditional Cables Decline
As younger viewers increasingly turn away from traditional cable TV, major news organizations are stepping up their activities on YouTube. Fox News is particularly thriving in this digital landscape.
Data from the analytics firm Emplifi indicates that Fox News has dramatically enhanced its performance on YouTube, claiming over 2.3 billion views so far in 2025, which is more than double what they had at the same time last year.
This impressive growth has positioned Fox ahead of MSNBC, with a modest increase of 27% since the beginning of the year, resulting in 1.9 billion views. CNN follows with 1.1 billion views, also showing a notable 42% rise from 2024.
Interestingly, both ABC and NBC News saw declines, recording only 665 million and 703 million views, which were drops of 22% and 12%, respectively.
The performance of these YouTube news channels mirrors trends observed on traditional television.
In May, Fox News averaged 2.46 million viewers during primetime—more than a 20% increase from the previous year. In contrast, MSNBC and CNN faced significant declines, with MSNBC’s prime time audience down 24% and CNN’s dropping 18%.
Similar trends were evident in the critical 25-54 demographic, where Fox’s viewership rose by 32%, while both MSNBC and CNN witnessed declines.
Fox News, a subsidiary of Fox Corp, which is associated with News Corp, outperformed other broadcast networks. CBS News was the exception, enjoying a 9% increase, resulting in around 300 million views.
ABC News contested Emplifi’s figures, asserting its internal data shows 745 million YouTube views annually. Meanwhile, NBC News has also ventured onto TikTok, garnering 2.5 billion views in the first quarter of this year.
This digital growth suggests that Fox’s television reputation is translating well online; however, it’s worth noting that YouTube’s audience skews significantly younger.
Despite cable news typically attracting viewers with a median age of around 67, YouTube’s main audience is predominantly millennials and Gen Z.
Fox’s online success seems to stem from a mix of timely content and unique interviews. Coverage of significant events, such as President Trump’s inauguration, has boosted viewership for popular shows like “Gutfeld!” and “Jesse Watters Primetime.”
High-profile interviews, like Sean Hannity’s conversation with Trump and Elon Musk, drew impressive views—7.4 million on YouTube alone. Another interview with Ukrainian President Voldimi Zelensky, conducted shortly after a high-stakes meeting, garnered 11.8 million views.
MSNBC has also experienced a 27% increase in YouTube views this year, totaling 1.9 billion. While Fox leads with a 21% margin on YouTube, the disparity is much narrower compared to traditional cable ratings where Fox’s audience is nearly triple that of MSNBC.
MSNBC’s executive producer for content strategy, Brad Gold, noted their focus on original content for YouTube aimed at growing their audience.
Ranking third with 1.1 billion YouTube views, CNN’s viewership has surged by 42%, though broadcast networks struggle to keep pace.
CBS News, as mentioned earlier, stands out with a 9% rise, while NBC and ABC have suffered double-digit losses, falling to 639 million and 644 million views, respectively.
While YouTube ad revenue per view is fairly modest, videos reaching 1 million views can generate between $2,000 and $6,000, making the platform a valuable tool for audience engagement and brand visibility.
For Fox News, that digital reach could translate to roughly $12 million in ad value, although it’s uncertain how this will impact future revenue reports.
Representatives from CNN and MSNBC opted not to comment. Requests for input from ABC News, NBC News, and CBS News are pending.
