Jay Wallace, the network’s president and executive editor, credits that durability to consistent ownership and strategy. Wallace has been with Fox News since its launch, alongside CEO Suzanne Scott.
“We’ve had a pretty consistent model for 30 years,” Wallace said. He credited the Murdoch family’s stewardship with giving the network room to develop new products and pursue challenging stories.
Fox News’ lead over cable news rivals reached its widest point last year, according to Nielsen, and the network appears positioned to keep that margin this year, depending on the midterms.
Last year, Fox News averaged 1.69 million total-day viewers, compared with 551,000 for MS NOW, formerly MSNBC, and 432,000 for CNN. In prime time, the gap was larger: Fox News averaged 2.65 million viewers, compared with 915,000 for MS NOW and 573,000 for CNN.
Through Sept. 29, Fox News was ahead of CNN and MS NOW combined this year in both total-day and prime-time viewership.
That dominance does not extend by the same margin to the 25- to 54-year-old demographic that advertisers target. In 2025, Fox News averaged 180,000 viewers in that group across the total day and 278,000 in prime time, according to Nielsen. Both figures led CNN and MS NOW, though Fox News has posted substantially larger advantages in the demographic in previous years.
A key part of the network’s business durability has been an emphasis on products and talent that match the lifestyle and values of its core audience. That approach has allowed the brand to outlast major stars even after they leave.
Wallace dismissed the idea that Fox News is preoccupied with competing against former stars such as Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly. He said an increasingly fragmented media market gives both the network and independent personalities room to find their own audiences.
Wallace dismissed the idea that Fox News is preoccupied with competing against former stars such as Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly. He said an increasingly fragmented media market gives both the network and independent personalities room to find their own audiences.