The culmination of the 2024 presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris and President-elect Donald Trump resulted in big numbers for Fox News and audience erosion for MSNBC and CNN.
Trump’s win was a big boon for FNC as it commanded the largest cable news share in its history with 62% of the cable news audience across total day. It was the most-watched network on Election Night and during the vice president’s concession speech the following day. Fox News was also the only network that grew in total viewers primetime and total day.
Meanwhile, the CNN and MSNBC crowd largely tuned out following the election, with both networks registering double-digit drops in total viewers during primetime and total day compared to October.
All three networks did see better numbers in the advertiser-coveted demo of Adults 25-54 during primetime compared to the previous month. On the other hand, MSNBC was the only network that posted losses in the demo during total day.
On the programming front, MSNBC’s Morning Joe experienced significant viewership losses after its hosts revealed that they met with Trump. That erosion follows the morning show enjoying its second-most-watched month of the last three years,
Fox News
Fox News had 3.181 million total viewers in primetime and 476,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo. During total day, it saw 1.951 million viewers in the former category and 282,000 viewers in the latter.
Compared to its October 2024 performance, FNC was up +16% in total viewers and +33% in the A25-54 demo during the primetime. Across total day, it saw month-to-month gains of +20% in total viewers and up +33% in the demo.
Looking at Fox News’ performance alongside the same month in 2023, the network saw gains of +84% in total viewers and +139% in the demo during primetime. In total day, it was up +65% in the former category and +97% in the latter.
The network finished November as the No. 1 cable network in total viewers and second place in the demo during primetime. During total day it was in first place among total viewers and finished as the No. 2 network in the demo.
MSNBC
MSNBC was the No. 2 cable news network in primetime and total day in total viewers for November, with 1.085 million and 720,000 viewers, respectively. Among A25-54 viewers, the network attracted 161,000 viewers in primetime and 91,000 viewers during total day.
Month-to-month, MSNBC was down -22% in primetime total viewers, but up +1% in the primetime demo. In total day, the network saw a decline of -20% in total viewers and -6% in the demo.
Year-to-year, MSNBC was down -5% in total viewers and up +48% in the demo during primetime. During total day, it was down -7% in the former category and grew by +12% in the latter.