Fox News Channel Most-Watched During Election Week

During the week of the election, November 4-10, FOX News Channel (FNC) was the number one network in all of television with weekday primetime viewers defeating the broadcast competition.

Throughout weekday primetime, FNC commanded 5.4 million viewers, trouncing ABC’s 4.9 million viewers, as well as CBS and NBC which saw just 4.1 million viewers. In primetime for Monday-Sunday (8-11 PM/ET), FNC earned 4.3 million viewers and 872,000 in the 25-54 demo. In total day Monday-Sunday (6AM-6AM/ET), FNC posted 2.6 million viewers and 472,000 in the 25-54 demo. 

This marked FNC’s best week across both primetime and total day since November 2020. Commanding 61% of the cable news audience share, FNC blew CNN and MSNBC out of the water across total day and primetime as the competition saw just 17% and 22% viewership share, respectively. Additionally, FNC’s ratings skyrocketed for the week, delivering the most growth in cable news week-over-week and year-over-year in all categories.

On Election Day, FOX News Media’s primetime coverage of election night across FNC, FOX Network, FOX Business Network (FBN) and FOX News Digital topped all television networks with nearly 13.6 million viewers and 4.4 million in the 25-54 demo. 

FNC’s Democracy 2024 primetime coverage averaged nearly 10.3 million in total viewers and 3.1 million in the 25-54 younger demographic, dominating the competition in both categories and beating ABC, NBC, CBS and all cable news networks for the second election in a row. Co-anchored by Special Report’s Bret Baier and The Story’s Martha MacCallum, the network’s marathon coverage from 6 PM – 3 AM/ET averaged 8.6 million viewers and 2.6 million in the 25-54 demo, leading all of television.

FNC’s coverage peaked during the 10 PM/ET hour with 11.2 million viewers and 3.5 million in the 25-54 demo, which was the top telecast of the week even surpassing Monday Night Football on ESPN. Across total day (3 AM – 3 AM/ET), FNC also reigned supreme, averaging 4.7 million viewers and 1.2 million in the younger 25-54 demo for the duration of Election Day coverage. 

In the 1 AM/ET hour, FNC’s Decision Desk was the first major network to call the race for former President Donald Trump and the channel commanded over 7.4 million viewers and 2.4 million in the 25-54 demo, leading CNN and MSNBC combined. In terms of cable news share, FNC occupied 48% of viewers in primetime and 50% across total day.

Following the election, FNC’s special coverage of Vice President Kamala Harris’ concession speech continued to sweep the television news competition on Wednesday, delivering 7.9 million viewers and 1.4 million in the 25-54 demo. Anchored again by Baier and MacCallum, the FOX News Democracy 24 special coverage from 4:15-4:45 PM/ET set a record for post-election coverage and commanded 64% of the cable news audience. 

Comparatively, CNN averaged just 2.2 million viewers and 555,000 in the 25-54 demo and MSNBC saw 2.3 million viewers and 353,000 in the 25-54 demo. According to Nielsen numbers, ABC only pulled 2.4 million viewers and 572,000 in the 25-54 demo, CBS lagged behind with 1.5 million viewers and 327,000 in the 25-54 demo and NBC averaged only 1.7 million viewers and 396,000 in the 25-54 demo during the speech. Notably, Special Report with Bret Baier (6 PM/ET) averaged 5.1 million viewers and 928,000 in the 25-54 demo on Wednesday, besting CBS Evening News which saw 4.5 million viewers and 789,000 in the 25-54 demo. Additionally, America’s Newsroom (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET; 4,631,000 P2+) and The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 4,502,000 P2+) marked a significant milestone surpassing ABC’s The View (4,470,000 P2+) despite being in fewer homes than the broadcast competitors.