Fox News Channel (FNC) has once again emerged as the ratings king of cable news, finishing 2024 with its highest audience share in nearly a decade. This marks the network’s ninth consecutive year as the most-watched cable network in all of television.
Fox News Channel (FNC) has once again proven its dominance in the cable news landscape, concluding 2024 with its highest audience share in nearly a decade. This achievement marks the network’s ninth consecutive year as the most-watched cable network across all of television, according to Nielsen Media Research.
FNC’s success can be attributed to its strong performance across various metrics. The network captured a commanding 56% of the primetime cable news audience and 53% in total day viewership, its highest share since 2015. This impressive growth is further highlighted by double-digit gains in viewership across all categories compared to 2023.
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FNC solidified its position as the go-to source for viewers seeking comprehensive coverage of the 2024 election cycle. The network consistently drew the largest audience for key political events, including the presidential debates and election night coverage, demonstrating its ability to deliver compelling and informative reporting during critical moments.
Beyond its political coverage, FNC’s appeal lies in its ability to attract a politically diverse audience. More Independents and Democrats chose FNC over its competitors, highlighting the network’s broad reach and resonance with viewers across the political spectrum.
FNC’s programming lineup also played a crucial role in its success. “The Five” made history as the first non-primetime show to deliver over four million viewers in a quarter, while “Gutfeld!” led all of cable news in the 25-54 demographic. “Jesse Watters Primetime” also proved its popularity by topping the 18-49 demographic.
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In contrast, FNC’s competitors faced significant challenges. CNN, in particular, experienced a difficult year, finishing with its smallest audience in network history. This disparity underscores the shifting dynamics in the cable news landscape and FNC’s ability to adapt and thrive in a competitive environment.
Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott expressed pride in the network’s achievements, stating, “Throughout coverage of a tumultuous political cycle, wars in the Middle East and major breaking news events, millions of viewers across the political spectrum continued to tune into FOX News Channel for our unrivaled reporting and analysis. I am extremely proud of our entire team for proving once again why we are the nation’s most-watched network as we outpaced the competition in covering the stories that mattered most to everyday Americans.”
With its consistently strong performance, diverse programming lineup, and broad appeal, FNC is well-positioned to maintain its leadership in the cable news industry for the foreseeable future.
Nielsen Cable News Ratings for 2024 (01/01/24-12/29/24) vs. 2023 (12/26/22-12/31/23)
Primetime:
- FNC: 2,384,000 P2+ (up 30%); 294,000 25-54 (up 40%)
- CNN: 685,000 P2+ (up 18%); 147,000 25-54 (up 17%)
- MSNBC: 1,223,000 P2+ (up 1%); 133,000 25-54 (up 9%)
Total Day:
- FNC: 1,458,000 P2+ (up 21%); 186,000 25-54 (up 26%)
- CNN: 481,000 P2+ (flat) 91,000 25-54 (down 3%)
- MSNBC: 791,000 P2+ (up 2%); 84,000 25-54 (down 2%)
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