Fox News is ending the year on a high note, scoring its best ratings ever in a non-election year while giving primetime broadcast networks a run for their money.
According to Nielsen Media Research, released on Monday (December 15), Fox News averaged 2.72 million primetime viewers and 287,000 viewers in the key Adults 25-54 demo in 2025. This was up 14 per cent in total viewers and 18 per cent in the demo compared to 2024.
In comparison, MSNBC (now MS NOW) averaged 923,000 total viewers (down 25 per cent on 2024) and 81,000 demo viewers (down 39 per cent), and CNN averaged 580,000 total viewers (down 15 per cent) and 105,000 demo viewers (down 29 per cent).
The story was the same in total day viewership, with Fox News leading with 1.7 million viewers (up 18 per cent on 2024) and 185,000 demo viewers (down 1 per cent). CNN averaged 436,000 viewers (down 9 per cent) and 71,000 demo viewers (down 22 per cent), while MS NOW averaged 552,000 viewers (down 30 per cent) and 49,000 demo viewers (down 42 per cent).
Fox News also held a higher weekday primetime average than broadcast network NBC, with 3.2 million viewers compared to NBC’s 3.1 million viewers. The cable news channel was only slightly behind CBS (3.208 million viewers) and ABC (3.4 million viewers).
Overall, Fox News scored its highest ratings for the year ever for a non-election year, only second to 2020.
As for programming, Fox News shows made up the Top 12 cable news programs for 2025 in viewers, with The Five, Jesse Watters Primetime, Gutfeld!, and Hannity leading the way.
The Five finished top of the chart for the fourth year running, averaging its best ratings ever with 4.1 million viewers and 382,000 in the 25-54 demo. Frequent Five co-host Greg Gutfeld also had success with his own program, Gutfeld!, which delivered its highest-ever demo viewership, averaging 362,000.
Jesse Watters Primetime was the most-watched cable news program in primetime, averaging 3.6 million viewers and 377,000 in the key demo, while Laura Ingraham‘s The Ingraham Angle averaged 3 million viewers and 309,000 demo viewers, making Ingraham the highest-rated woman in cable news.
Meanwhile, Hannity dominated weeknights at 9 pm ET with an average of 3.2 million viewers and 353,000 in the 25-54 demo.
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