Fox News is dominating the ratings, outperforming not only its cable news rivals but also major broadcast networks. According to Nielsen data, Fox News averaged 3.63 million viewers in weekday primetime between December 30 and March 11, surpassing CBS, NBC, and ABC. In comparison, MSNBC averaged 1.26 million viewers, while CNN drew an average of 635,000 viewers during the same period.
Fox News’ success is particularly noteworthy given that it reaches 63 million homes, while the broadcast networks are available in 120 million households. Several Fox News programs have been key contributors to the network’s ratings success. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” averaged 4.7 million viewers, outperforming NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and ABC’s “NBA Saturday Primetime.” “Jesse Watters Primetime” attracted 4.4 million viewers and 554,000 in the 25-54 demographic, while “Hannity” saw an average of 3.7 million viewers and 503,000 in the key demo.
President Biden’s address to Congress on March 4 was a significant ratings win for Fox News, drawing 10.7 million viewers.
fox news dominates ratings in primetime
The Democratic response from Sen.
Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) also attracted a large audience, with 5.9 million viewers tuning in to Fox News. The network’s daytime programs, such as “Outnumbered,” “The Faulkner Focus,” and “The Story with Martha MacCallum,” consistently drew over 2.4 million viewers, outperforming NBC’s third hour of “Today” and “CBS Mornings.”
On Friday, March 14, Fox News ranked as the second most-watched network across all of television during primetime, despite “Primetime” finishing third in total viewers and fourth in the key Adults 25-54 demographic due to Jesse Watters’ absence. “The Five” claimed the top spot as the most-watched show in both categories.
Fox News’ strong performance in 2025 is further highlighted by its average of 3.1 million primetime viewers across the entire month. The network’s momentum carried into March, with exclusive interviews like Bret Baier’s conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Sean Hannity’s interviews with Elon Musk and President Trump attracting millions of viewers. While broadcast networks face some constraints, such as reruns and a focus on delayed viewing, Fox News’ weekday primetime lead remains impressive, solidifying its position as the top choice for news viewers in 2025.
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