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It’s a rough time to be in the boardrooms of MSNBC and CNN. While executives at Fox News are likely popping champagne over record-shattering viewership, their counterparts at the other two major cable news networks are probably still nursing Thanksgiving headaches—and not from turkey. Ratings data for the week of November 25 paints a bleak picture for CNN and MSNBC, with both hitting historic lows while Fox News continues its reign as the undisputed king of cable news.
Let’s break it down: Fox News Channel averaged a staggering 1.4 million total daily viewers and a jaw-dropping 2 million during primetime, leaving CNN and MSNBC in the dust. For comparison, CNN clocked in at a paltry 268,000 total daily viewers, marking its worst week since 2001. MSNBC fared only slightly better at 346,000, but the trend was just as grim when measured against previous highs.
Primetime Disaster: CNN and MSNBC vs. Reality TV
Primetime ratings were just as embarrassing. CNN managed only 297,000 viewers—a number so low it was beaten by networks like Bravo and the Food Network. MSNBC didn’t fare much better at 465,000. Fox News, meanwhile, captured more than double their combined audience, proving once again that Americans aren’t interested in rehashed liberal talking points—they want compelling, insightful programming.
If you’re thinking this is a demographic issue, think again. Among adults aged 25-54, the demographic advertisers value most, CNN and MSNBC were outright disasters. CNN drew a dismal 41,000 viewers in this group, while MSNBC plummeted even lower with just 29,000. To put that into perspective, both were beaten by children’s channels like Nickelodeon and Disney.
Fox News: A Powerhouse of Ratings Gold
While CNN and MSNBC struggle to stay afloat, Fox News is booming like never before. “The Five,” a panel show featuring Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, Dana Perino, Jeanine Pirro, and rotating co-hosts, crushed it with 4.1 million total viewers and 420,000 in the key demo—making it the number one cable news show for the week. The network also captured a record-breaking 70% share of the coveted 25-54 demographic during primetime.
Fox’s primetime lineup, including heavyweights like Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Jesse Watters, continues to dominate, while late-night standout “Gutfeld!” is redefining the genre, attracting viewers who might have otherwise tuned out of cable news altogether.
The Trump Effect and the Great Liberal Exodus
The numbers don’t lie: since Donald Trump’s election in 2016, CNN and MSNBC have been hemorrhaging viewers. Fox News now commands 73% of the cable news audience during primetime, while its competitors are struggling to stay relevant in a post-Trump news cycle. With the former president no longer in office to serve as their villain of the week, CNN and MSNBC seem rudderless, relying on stale narratives that fewer and fewer Americans care to hear.
Can They Bounce Back?
At this point, it’s not just a question of whether CNN and MSNBC can recover their audiences—it’s whether they can survive at all. Both networks have lost their edge, and their programming seems increasingly out of touch with the majority of Americans. Meanwhile, Fox News continues to prove that you don’t need to cater to the elite or parrot leftist ideologies to thrive in today’s media landscape.
For now, the scoreboard is clear: Fox News is winning—by a mile—and CNN and MSNBC are fading fast.
