Fox News crushes cable, broadcast rivals with highest-rated non-election year ever

Fox News steamrolled the competition in 2025, delivering its highest-rated non-election year ever and cementing its dominance across cable — while rival CNN and MS NOW plunged to historic lows.

The Fox Corp-owned cable giant averaged 3.2 million viewers in weekday primetime, beating over-the-air NBC’s 3.1 million, according to Nielsen Media Research.

It marked Fox News’ second-best year in its history and its 10th straight year as the most-watched network in all of cable.

Fox News, which shares common ownership with The Post, commanded 64% of the total cable news audience in both primetime and total day in 2025 — the largest share since the network launched in 1996.

The network averaged 2.7 million viewers in primetime overall, up 14% from 2024, and 1.7 million viewers across total day, an 18% year-over-year jump.

Fox News was the fastest-growing major network on television, gaining viewers while every other cable news outlet declined.

By contrast, CNN and MS NOW posted some of their worst numbers ever, particularly among the critical advertiser-coveted 25-54 demographic.

CNN’s average primetime audience in the demo collapsed to 105,000 viewers — the lowest in the network’s history — while its total-day demo viewership sank to 71,000.

MS NOW, which was previously known as MSNBC, also logged its worst year ever in the demo, averaging just 81,000 viewers in primetime and 49,000 across total day.

Overall, MS NOW averaged 552,000 total-day viewers, its weakest performance since 2015.

Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott hailed the year as a validation of the network’s strategy.

“Delivering another record-breaking year, outpacing broadcast networks, and reaching new highs on YouTube is a testament to the strength of our brand and our ability to meet the audience where they are,” Scott said.

“I am incredibly proud of our unrivaled team on and off camera, whose journalism, global newsgathering skills and powerful voices continue to set the standard in news and connect with Americans nationwide.”

Fox News’ reach extended far beyond cable.

The network scored its best year ever on YouTube with 4.3 billion video views — a 57% increase from 2024 — easily beating MS NOW, CNN, NBC News, ABC News and CBS News.

On linear television, Fox News dominated programming charts, delivering the top 1,080 cable news telecasts of the year.

Fox News shows occupied the top 12 cable news programs in total viewers, with “The Five” leading the pack.

“The Five” averaged 4.1 million viewers, its best year since launching and the fourth straight year it finished as cable news’ most-watched show.

It even beat several broadcast entertainment programs, including CBS’ “The Neighborhood” and ABC’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

Jesse Watters Primetime, “Hannity,” “Gutfeld!,” “Special Report with Bret Baier,” “The Ingraham Angle” and “The Will Cain Show” all posted double-digit year-over-year growth.

Late-night standout “Gutfeld!” continued its reign as the most-watched show in the genre, averaging 3.1 million viewers and 362,000 among adults 25-54 — the only late-night program to grow year over year as broadcast competitors faltered.

In primetime, Laura Ingraham finished the year as the highest-rated woman in cable news, while Jesse Watters delivered his strongest year yet at 8 p.m. Sean Hannity once again dominated the 9 p.m. hour.

Fox News’ strength extended across the entire day.

“Special Report with Bret Baier” averaged more than 3.1 million viewers at 6 p.m. and even beat the “CBS Evening News” head-to-head 11 times during the year.

The network’s daytime lineup from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. posted its best year ever, led by “America’s Newsroom,” “The Faulkner Focus,” “Outnumbered” and “America Reports,” all of which routinely outpaced broadcast competition.

A CBS spokesperson pointed to a recent ratings release showing that its premiere-week episodes in October posted year-over-year growth and led the competition in Nielsen live-plus-35-day multiplatform viewing, placing eight of the top 10 broadcast series and 11 of the top 20.

The network said nine shows topped 10 million viewers, led by “Tracker” with 17.3 million, up 6% year-over-year, while new series “Boston Blue,” “Sheriff Country” and “DMV” ranked as the top three new launches.

The Post has sought comment from MS NOW, CNN, ABC and NBC.