Fox News Ratings: Election Night Data Shows Sharp Drop

Fox News averaged 3.882 million viewers between 8:00 pm and 11:00 pm Eastern Time on election night, a preliminary Nielsen figure that places the channel behind its major broadcast and cable competitors. The network, which historically leads in election coverage, recorded its lowest prime time average since the 2022 midterms, when it drew 7.422 million viewers in the same slot. The decline occurred as the Democratic Party secured control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The data from Nielsen Fast Nationals shows NBC leading the field with 6.519 million viewers, followed by ABC with 4.906 million. In the cable sector, CNN captured 3.927 million viewers and MS Now reached 3.922 million, both slightly ahead of Fox News. CBS News trailed with 2.629 million viewers. The six major television networks combined for 25.784 million viewers during prime time, an increase from the 22.215 million total recorded in 2022. Analysts expect these preliminary numbers to rise when final data is released on Thursday.

This election night result follows a months long trend of declining viewership for the channel. In October, Fox News total day viewership dropped 27 percent compared to the same month in 2025, even as the network maintained a lead over CNN and MS Now in that specific metric. President Donald Trump’s approval ratings reached historic lows during this period, a factor cited by observers as contributing to the audience erosion among conservative viewers.

Lachlan Murdoch, chief executive officer of Fox Corp, addressed the trend during an earnings call on Monday. He attributed the numbers to viewer fatigue, stating that the audience base had been under strain. Murdoch did not offer specific remedies for the decline but acknowledged the challenging environment for traditional news outlets.

President Trump, a long time supporter of the channel, criticized the network’s performance in a Truth Social post on Tuesday evening. He blamed the 27 percent October decline on the channel’s decision to interview Democratic candidates. Trump argued that this coverage strategy alienated the conservative base and referred to the opponents as Trump Deranged Democrats. He noted that viewers who switched to other outlets understood the reason for the shift.

In the same post, Trump claimed his own numbers were better than they had ever been. He framed the ratings drop as a problem for the network rather than himself, suggesting that the channel failed to prioritize its core audience during the final stretch of the campaign. The comments added a layer of political tension to what is typically a straightforward business metric review.

The final audience data is scheduled for release on Thursday. Until then, the media industry will monitor whether the late night surge in viewership alters the overall picture. The gap between Fox News and its rivals highlights a shifting dynamic in the 24 hour news cycle as networks compete for the attention of politically engaged viewers.