Fox News sees steepest pre-election ratings drop in ten years

Fox News experienced its largest year-over-year decline in primetime viewership during a pre-election month in the past decade. Nielsen figures for October 2026 show the network lost 28 percent of its primetime audience compared to the same period in 2025. The drop was not limited to evening hours, as full-day viewership also fell by 27 percent. In the key adults 25-54 demographic, the network saw a decline of more than 30 percent in primetime.

Despite the sharp retreat, Fox News retains the top spot among cable news channels. The network averaged 1.68 million primetime viewers and 1.01 million across the full day in October. Its closest competitor, MS NOW, drew 925,000 primetime viewers and 588,000 for the full day. CNN followed with averages of 598,000 in primetime and 402,000 for the full day. Fox also claimed the five most-watched cable news programs, with The Five leading at 2.7 million daily viewers.

The gap narrows in the adults 25-54 demographic, where Fox posted 145,000 primetime viewers. CNN recorded 107,000 primetime viewers in that group, while MS NOW logged 95,000. For the full day, Fox averaged 98,000 viewers in the demographic, compared to 62,000 for MS NOW and 60,000 for CNN.

Rivals capitalized on the shift. MS NOW and CNN both posted double-digit percentage gains in primetime against a year earlier. MS NOW also grew over the full day, while CNN saw a 3 percent rise. CNN's primetime adults 25-54 audience grew 40 percent from the previous October. MS NOW's 25-54 averages rose 30 percent in primetime and 38 percent over the full day.

Analysts point to external factors for the volatility. President Trump's low approval ratings and an election cycle that appears to favor Democrats may have influenced viewer habits, though Nielsen data does not identify specific causes. Fox News also cites its digital performance, stating it has recorded 3.8 billion YouTube views in 2026 via the analytics firm Emplifi. This total exceeds MS NOW's 2.96 billion and CNN's 2.36 billion.

Historical context from the past six election cycles shows mixed results for cable news. Fox saw substantial gains in October 2024, with total day ratings up about 20 percent from the previous year. In contrast, the steepest prior decline was a 20 percent drop in primetime adults 25-54 for MSNBC in 2022. Month-to-month changes in 2026 were less severe, with Fox slipping 2.5 percent in primetime from September, while MS NOW and CNN both posted double-digit increases.