FOX NEWS SMASHES RECORDS FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE MONTH AS IT MARKS HIGHEST RATED FEBRUARY IN NETWORK HISTORY OBLITERATING COMPETITORS

Published February 25, 2025

Since the Inauguration, FNC Leads All Broadcast Networks with Weekday Primetime Viewers

‘‘The Five’ Remains the Number One Cable News Show in Viewership and Now Beats CBS Evening News with 4.7 Million Viewers

‘Jesse Watters Primetime’ Averages Over Four Million Viewers and Tops Cable News Demo

Gutfeld!’ Sees Best Month in History with 3.4 Million Viewers

‘The Will Cain Show’ Nearly Doubles the 4 PM/ET Timeslot in First Full Month

NEW YORK – February 25, 2025 – FOX News Channel (FNC) continues to smash records for the second consecutive month marking its most-watched February across total day in network history, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. In primetime (8–11 PM/ET), FNC delivered 3.1 million viewers and 387,000 in the 25-54 demographic, growing its audience 50% year-over-year in total viewership and 68% in the 25-54 demo. In total day, FNC drew two million viewers and 252,000 in the 25-54 demo, marking 50% growth year-over-year with viewers and 57% in the 25-54 demo. FNC commanded 65% of the cable news share with viewers across total day and primetime, completely dismantling CNN and MSNBC which are both down throughout total day and primetime viewers and demo. FNC has now delivered the top 838 cable news telecasts since Election Day (11-6-24 through 2-23-24) and top 297 cable news telecasts in the month of February. Post-election, FNC now commands 69% of the cable news audience in primetime viewers and 67% in the 25-54 demo. MSNBC’s audience has dropped precipitously by 52% in the 25-54 demo in primetime in A25-54 (70,000 viewers) and 43% in viewers with 756,000 while CNN has lost 40% of its primetime audience in A25-54 (96,000 viewers) and is down 38% in viewers with 459,000. 

Notably, FOX News has averaged 3.9 million weeknight viewers in primetime leading ABC, CBS, NBC and all cable networks since January 20th. Once again, more Democrats, Independents and Republicans continued to tune in to FNC over any other cable network across total day, according to data from Nielsen MRI Fusion. FNC was also number one in cable with Asians, Hispanics and upscale viewers throughout total day during February.

 

At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s The Five secured a staggering 4.7 million viewers and 517,000 in 25-54 demo, leading all of cable news among total viewership for the month and beating the newly revamped CBS Evening News (4.6 million viewers). February was the fourth consecutive month that The Five delivered more than 4 million viewers. Special Report with Bret Baier (weeknights, 6 PM/ET) averaged a remarkable 3.6 million viewers and 420,000 in the 25-54 demo, its third highest-rated month ever. The Ingraham Angle (weeknights, 7 PM/ET) averaged 3.5 million viewers and 427,000 in the 25-54 demo, with Laura Ingraham continuing her reign as the highest rated woman in cable news. At 8 PM/ET Jesse Watters Primetime commanded over 4.2 million viewers and 518,000 in the 25-54 demo, which led cable news and was his second consecutive month with more than 4 million viewers. Winning the 9 PM/ET hour across the board, FNC’s Hannity remained dominant with 3.6 million viewers and 467,000 in the 25-54 demo. Hannity’s exclusive interview with Elon Musk and President Trump on February 18th posted 5.4 million viewers, the second highest-rated cable telecast of the month.

 

FNC’s hit late-night program Gutfeld! delivered its best month since launch with viewers. Notching 3.4 million viewers, 466,000 in 25-54, Gutfeld! walloped CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS’ After Midnight and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show across the board.

 

The newly launched The Will Cain Show set records at 4 PM/ET with the two highest rated months in history at this hour averaging over 2.8 million viewers and 337,000 in the 25-54 demo in February. Compared to 2024, the show has grown the 4 PM/ET hour 81% with viewers and 102% in the 25-54 demo. FNC also saw a number of additional records for its programs during February. America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET) averaged 2.5 million viewers while The Story with Martha MacCallum (weekdays, 3 PM/ET) also had 2.5 million viewers and FOX News @ Night (weeknights, 11 PM/ET) nabbed 2.1 million viewers, each show’s best month since 2020. In cable news, FNC secured the top 13 shows for the month with MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show coming in 14th with under two million viewers despite now working five days a week.

 

From 5-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends FIRST netted 736,000 viewers while FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) finished the month with 1.6 million viewers and 201,000 in the demo. The program has remained the number one cable news program in the mornings with both categories for more than three straight years and 48 consecutive months in 25-54 demo. 

 

FNC’s daytime lineup continued to crush the competition, led by two-hour morning news program America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET), saw 2.3 million viewers and 255,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 2.4 million viewers and 282,000 in the 25-54 demo. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered earned 2.5 million viewers and 283,000 in the demo. America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith also garnered 2.5 million viewers and 283,000 in the 25-54 demo. Martha MacCallum’s The Story averaged 2.5 million viewers and 276,000 in the 25-54 demo. 

FNC also continued to excel against the competition throughout the weekend for the month, winning every hour with total viewers and 25-54 demo, defeating CNN and MSNBC by double to triple-digits among both categories on both days. On Saturdays, The Big Weekend Show (weekends, 6-8 PM/ET) was the most watched show, drawing 2.1 million viewers. FOX News Live (weekends, 10 AM – 2 PM/ET) was most-watched in the 25-54 demo with 232,000 viewers. Life, Liberty & Levin (weekends, 8 PM/ET) was the top show in primetime with 1.9 million viewers. FOX Report with Jon Scott (weekends, 3 -5 PM/ET) nabbed 1.6 million viewers (188,000 A25-54) and FOX News Saturday Night with Jimmy Failla (Saturday, 10 PM/ET) attracted 1.5 million viewers (185,000 A25-54). The debut of My View with Lara Trump on February 22nd drew a record 2.4 million viewers and 290,000 in the 25-54 demo.

On Sundays, FNC’s Sunday Morning Futures earned the top-rated show of the day, garnering 2.3 million viewers and 247,000 with 25-54 demo. At 11 AM/ET, MediaBuzz, hosted by Howard Kurtz, delivered 1.8 million viewers and 186,000 in the 25-54 demo while Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy garnered 1.7 million viewers and 177,000 A25-54.  The Big Weekend Show followed with 1.7 million viewers and 174,000 in the 25-54 demo. FOX & Friends Sunday took 1.5 million viewers and 193,000 in 25-54 demo. The debut of One Nation with Brian Kilmeade in its new Sunday 10 PM/ET timeslot nabbed 1.7 million viewers and 258,000 in the 25-54 demo on February 23rd.

 

FEBRUARY 2025 NIELSEN NUMBERS (Monday-Sunday, Live + Same Day):

TOTAL DAY

FNC: 1,999,000 total viewers and 252,000 A25-54 (up 50% with P2+; 57% with A25-54 vs. 2024)

CNN: 433,000 total viewers and 82,000 A25-54 (down 9% with P2+; down 6% with A25-54 vs. 2024)

MSNBC: 638,000 total viewers and 66,000 A25-54 (down 25% with P2+; down 21% with A25-54 vs. 2024)

PRIMETIME (8-11P)

FNC: 3,091,000 total viewers and 387,000 A25-54 (up 50% with P2+; up 68% with A25-54 vs. 2024)

CNN: 553,000 total viewers and 122,000 A25-54 (down 3% with viewers; up 5% with A25-54 vs. 2024)

MSNBC: 1,126,000 total viewers and 111,000 A25-54 (down 16% with P2+; down 9% with A25-54 vs. 2024)

 

FEBRUARY RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:

Total Viewers: The Five (4,699,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (4,186,000), Hannity (3,597,000), Special Report (3,585,000), The Ingraham Angle (3,485,000) 

 

Adults 25-54: Jesse Watters Primetime (518,000), The Five (517,000), Hannity (467,000), Gutfeld! (466,000), The Ingraham Angle (427,000)

Source: Nielsen. Live+SD. Month of February 2025 ratings data. Average audience for cable news networks Monday-Sunday based on Total Day and Prime (6a-6a, 8P-11P), P2+, P25-54, P18-49. Cable News/Broadcast Program averages exclude repeats and include the corresponding program name.

FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service and has been the number one network in basic cable for the last nine years and the most-watched television news channel for 23 consecutive years, currently attracting nearly 70% of the cable news viewing audience according to Nielsen Media Research. Notably, Nielsen/MRI Fusion has consistently shown FNC to be the network of choice for more Democrat and Independent viewers, with the most politically diverse audience in cable news. A 2024 Pew Research Center study found that more Americans named FNC as their main source for political news than any other network while a 2023 New York Times/Siena College poll found FNC as the leading single source of news for voters across the country. Owned by Fox Corporation, FNC is available in more than 60 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top 10 programs in the genre.

###

FOX News Media Contact:

Connor Smith: 212-301-3879 or Connor.Smith@FOX.com

Back to Press Releases