Week of Feb. 24 Cable News Ratings: Fox News Stakes Its Claim as ‘the 5th Broadcast Network’

This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of Feb. 24, 2025.

A  busy news week from a political and global standpoint fueled growth for all three cable networks. Fox News achieved a rare feat as it averaged 3.6 million total viewers during weekday primetime, performing better than two of the broadcast networks. NBC saw 3.5 million total viewers, while ABC averaged 2.2 million total viewers.

This milestone caused Fox Corporation’s CEO Lachlan Murdoch to quip  on Monday during Morgan Stanley’s Technology Media & Technology Conference that Fox News should be considered “the fifth broadcast network.”

Despite Fox News’ success, it was also the only network not to see any total viewer gains during primetime and total day.

Meanwhile, MSNBC, Joy Reid’s final night hosting The ReidOut—as well as the surrounding programming changes announced by the network—may have fueled its double-digit gains during primetime. 

MSNBC had its most-watched day since election week on Feb. 28, the same day that President Donald Trump’s and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a charged meeting at the White House.

NETWORKS:

Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of Feb. 24 saw FNC average 3.091 million total viewers and 393,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was down -2% in the former category, but up +4% in the latter relative to the week prior. Fox News also averaged 1.981 million total viewers and 254,000 A25-54 viewers in total day viewing. Week-to-week, FNC was flat in total viewers and up +4% in the demo.

Fox News repeated at first in total primetime viewers and remained second in the demo among all basic cable networks. It also remained at No. 1 in total viewers across total day and reclaimed the top spot in the total day demo.

MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 1.220 million total viewers and 114,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for week-to-week gains of +12% and +23%, respectively. During the total day, MSNBC averaged 659,000 total viewers and 66,000 A25-54 viewers for respective gains of +8% and +16% compared to the week before.

Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC climbed one spot to second place in total primetime viewers and jumped from No. 19 to No. 10 in the demo. During total day, the network captured second place in total viewers and rose to the No. 10 position in the total day demo. 

CNN averaged 594,000 total primetime viewers and 119,000 A25-54 viewers in the demo during primetime for gains of +12% and +8% in the demo compared to the previous week. In total day, the network had 465,000 total viewers and 84,000 viewers in the demo for week-to-week gains of +11% and +17% in those respective categories.

In relation to all the cable networks, CNN remained fifth in total viewers and moved from 11th to ninth in the demo. During total day, it remained in the No. 4 position in total viewers and moved up from 10th to fifth in the demo. 

When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago (the week of Feb. 26):

  • During primetime, Fox News was up by +48% in total viewers and +67% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network also saw gains of +46% in total viewers and +56% in the demo.
  • MSNBC was flat in total viewers and down -7% in the demo. During the total day, the network was down -20% in both total viewers and the demo.
  •  CNN’s primetime lineup rose by +4% in total viewers and stayed flat in the demo. During total day, it was down by -1% in total viewers and -5% in the demo.

PROGRAMMING:

Fox News took 13 out of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week in total viewers, with The Five (4.622 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) staying at the top. MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show (2.100 million viewers at 9 p.m. ET) landed in the 13th spot while The ReidOut’s finale (1.690 million viewers at 7 p.m. ET) came in at No. 15.

Jesse Watters Primetime (516,000 viewers at 8 p.m. ET) led the way in the Adults 25-54 demo, with Fox News occupying 14 out of the 15 top spots. The ReidOut (233,000 viewers at 7 p.m. ET) nabbed No. 13 for its farewell episode on MSNBC.

Prime Time

Fox News MSNBC CNN
• Total Viewers: 3,091,000 1,220,000   594,000
• A25-54: 393,000 114,000   119,000

Total Day

Fox News MSNBC CNN
• Total Viewers: 1,981,000 659,000   465,000
• A25-54: 254,000 66,000   84,000

Week 2-24-25 Cable Ranker by Adweek on Scribd

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