Fox News Surges in Ratings as CNN and MSNBC Face Major Declines
Fox News dominates with record audience share post-election, while CNN and MSNBC struggle with significant viewership losses and industry challenges.
- Fox News captured an unprecedented 70% of the cable news audience in November, driven by coverage of Donald Trump's re-election and key global events.
- CNN and MSNBC have seen steep declines in viewership since the election, with CNN's primetime audience dropping to 367,000 and MSNBC losing 55% of its primetime viewers.
- CNN now ranks 17th among cable networks in primetime, trailing channels like Food Network and Hallmark, and has announced upcoming layoffs to address financial pressures.
- MSNBC's Rachel Maddow has lost 43% of her audience since Election Day, raising questions about the network's high-cost talent strategy amid declining ratings.
- The broader cable news industry faces challenges from cord-cutting, with all major networks experiencing reduced pay-TV household access compared to 2016.