Cable Television Ratings Soar for Fox News in January 2025
The return of Donald Trump to the political spotlight has significantly impacted Cable Television Ratings. Fox News, in particular, experienced its highest-rated January ever, fueled by extensive coverage of the presidential transition and the initial weeks of Trump’s second term. All three major cable news networks—Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN—saw growth in total viewership and within the key demographic of adults aged 25-54 during both primetime and total day viewing for January 2025.
Trump’s Influence on Cable Television Ratings
Fox News dominated the cable television ratings landscape, largely attributed to the renewed focus on Trump. The network saw a remarkable year-over-year increase of 40% in total viewership and a staggering 61% increase within the 25-54 demographic. This surge suggests a strong correlation between Trump’s presence in the news cycle and viewer engagement with Fox News.
MSNBC also experienced a resurgence in viewership, potentially linked to the return of Rachel Maddow to her five-nights-a-week hosting schedule during Trump’s first 100 days in office. This signifies a positive trend for the network amidst leadership changes and corporate restructuring. CNN, despite facing company-wide layoffs and programming adjustments, saw significant gains, partially driven by their coverage of the Los Angeles wildfires.
January 2025 Cable News Ratings Breakdown
A closer look at the specific numbers reveals the extent of Fox News’ dominance in the cable television ratings. Fox News averaged 2.781 million total viewers and 353,000 viewers in the 25-54 demographic during primetime. For total day viewership, they garnered an average of 1.916 million total viewers and 253,000 viewers in the key demographic. These figures represent substantial increases compared to both December 2024 and January 2024, solidifying Fox News’ leading position.
MSNBC secured the second position in total viewers for both primetime and total day, with 734,000 and 506,000 viewers, respectively. While MSNBC experienced month-to-month growth, they saw year-over-year declines in viewership. CNN attracted 522,000 total viewers and 118,000 viewers in the 25-54 demographic during primetime. Their total day viewership reached 421,000 total viewers and 80,000 viewers in the key demographic. CNN saw significant month-to-month gains, but experienced year-over-year declines.
Performance of Other News Networks
Other news networks also saw notable performances in January 2025. NewsNation achieved its highest-rated month in total day viewership since expanding to 24/7 news coverage. Fox Business experienced its highest-rated month since April 2023 during market hours. CNBC and Newsmax also had top-performing programs within their respective lineups. These results highlight the dynamic landscape of cable television ratings beyond the “big three” networks.
Most-Watched Cable News Programs
Specific programs also contributed significantly to cable television ratings. “The Five” on Fox News led in both total viewers and the 25-54 demographic. “The Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC topped the charts for their network in both categories. On CNN, “The Lead with Jake Tapper” performed best in total viewers, while “Anderson Cooper 360” led in the 25-54 demographic.
The January 2025 cable television ratings underscore the continuing influence of political events and personalities on viewership trends. The resurgence of Donald Trump as a central figure in the news cycle directly correlated with significant ratings gains for Fox News, while other networks also experienced fluctuations influenced by programming changes and news events.
