Fox News Takes Jaw-Dropping Ratings Hit

Key Points:

• Fox News is experiencing a significant decline in viewership, with preliminary Nielsen ratings showing its lowest total day audience since December 2023, averaging 1.1 million viewers in October 2026.
• The network's key 25-54 demographic is at a 25-year low, averaging only 98,000 viewers, marking a 32% drop from the previous year, and Fox ranks third in this group and fifth among 18-49-year-olds.
• Primetime viewership has also fallen sharply, with a 28% decrease in total viewers and a 36% drop in the key demographic, indicating that even Fox's top evening hosts are struggling to engage core Republican voters.
• Fox News faces competition from progressive networks like MSNBC and CNN, which have increased their daytime audiences by 16% and 3%, respectively, as Fox's ratings slide coincides with tensions between the network and Donald Trump.
• Trump has publicly criticized Fox News for giving airtime to Democratic candidates and reducing live coverage of his rallies, while insiders suggest the network's programming changes reflect a belief that "Trump doesn’t rate anymore," though Fox has recently resumed airing his rallies live.