Fox News Outpacing CNN by Nearly 2M Viewers

Fox News Channel has solidified its position as the top-rated network across broadcast and cable, averaging 2.4 million viewers in primetime (Monday through Sunday) for the week of July 14-20, according to Nielsen Media Research. 

The network outperformed major competitors, including NBC (2.17 million viewers), CBS (1.96 million viewers), and ABC (1.91 million viewers), continuing its summer-long dominance. In stark contrast, CNN lagged significantly with just 498,000 viewers, trailing even HGTV’s 586,000.

Fox News’s late-night program Gutfeld! further underscored the network’s strength, particularly on July 17 and 18, amid CBS’s announcement to retire The Late Show franchise. On those nights, Gutfeld! drew 3 million and 2.8 million viewers, respectively, surpassing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s 1.96 million viewers for the week. Notably, Gutfeld! attracted 365,000 viewers in the coveted 25-54 age demographic on July 17, followed by 262,000 the next night. 

Fox News has commanded the highest ratings among broadcast and cable networks in primetime since Memorial Day, averaging nearly 3 million viewers. Last week, it captured 62% of the cable news audience in both primetime and total day viewing. The network’s dominance extends beyond the summer, having held the top spot in basic cable for eight consecutive years and remaining the most-watched television news channel for over 23 years. 

Nielsen data indicates that Fox News attracts nearly 70% of the cable news viewing audience, reinforcing its unparalleled reach in the competitive media landscape.