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 compared to last October, and Fox ranks third and fifth in this group and the 18-49 demographic, respectively.
• Prime time viewership has also fallen sharply, with a 28% decrease in total viewers and a 36% decline in the key demographic, indicating even Fox's top evening shows are losing Republican audience engagement.
• Competitor networks like MSNBC and CNN have seen growth in daytime audiences, gaining 16% and 3% respectively, as Fox faces internal challenges and criticism from Donald Trump over its programming choices.
• The ratings slump coincides with tensions between Trump and Fox News, with Trump accusing the network of favoring Democratic candidates and reducing live coverage of his rallies, while insiders suggest Fox executives believe "Trump doesn't rate anymore."