Fox News Channel Tops NBC, ABC, and CBS in Key Ratings Measurable for Second Straight Summer
NEW YORK — Fox News Channel finished the summer programming season as the second most-watched network in all of television during weekday primetime, outpacing major broadcast rivals NBC, ABC, and CBS for the second consecutive year.
According to Nielsen Media Research data released for the summer period spanning June through August, Fox News averaged 2.56 million total viewers during its weekday primetime hours (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.). That mark comfortably topped NBC’s 2.50 million, ABC’s 2.30 million, and CBS’s 2.00 million, solidifying the cable news powerhouse's ability to pull broadcast-level audiences during high-volume news cycles.
Dominance Over Cable Competitors
While Fox News managed to outshine major broadcast networks during weekday evenings, its lead over traditional cable news competitors remained virtually insurmountable.
For August alone, Fox News captured nearly 60% of the overall cable news audience share across both total day and primetime viewing blocks, delivering the top 147 cable news telecasts of the entire month. In primetime, Fox News averaged 2.13 million viewers, compared to MS NOW’s 940,000 and CNN’s 624,000. On a total-day basis, Fox News posted 1.35 million viewers, more than doubling MS NOW (599,000) and tripling CNN (439,000).
The summer victory comes as traditional broadcast networks faced notable ratings declines. Nielsen figures showed ABC registering its lowest-rated primetime month of the century among the advertiser-coveted adults 25–54 demographic, while CBS recorded its lowest-rated August on record for weekday primetime.
Flagship Shows Drive the Surge
Individual program performance across Fox News’ weekday lineup anchored the summer ratings surge:
The Five (5 p.m. ET): Retained its crown as the most-watched show in all of cable television, averaging 3.28 million total viewers in August.
Jesse Watters Primetime (8 p.m. ET): Led all primetime cable news programming with an average of 2.87 million total viewers, peaking at nearly 3.4 million viewers during a high-profile interview segment on August 24.
Gutfeld! (10 p.m. ET): Averaged 2.51 million viewers, continuing its run of topping major broadcast late-night rivals including NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Special Report with Bret Baier (6 p.m. ET) and Hannity (9 p.m. ET): Averaged 2.41 million and 2.34 million viewers, respectively.
In morning television, FOX & Friends averaged 1.2 million viewers, securing its 66th consecutive month as the most-watched morning show in cable news and exceeding the combined total viewership of CNN and MS NOW's morning offerings.
A Shifting Television Landscape
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The network’s second consecutive summer triumph over broadcast networks underscores a broader shift in American viewing habits, where breaking news, political commentary, and analysis increasingly capture live audience shares away from traditional broadcast reruns and unscripted summer programming.
With intense interest surrounding upcoming political campaigns and legislative battles in Washington, Fox News executives point to the network's multi-platform reach and broad political audience appeal as key drivers behind its sustained ratings momentum heading into the autumn television season.
