Full Breakdown
Fox News Dominates Summer Ratings Amidst Industry Rivalries
9/5/2025, 1:48:52 PM
Fox News Maintains Viewership Lead
Fox News has solidified its position as the most-watched television network during the summer months, particularly in August 2025. According to Nielsen data, from June 20 through Labor Day, Fox News averaged 2.43 million viewers in prime-time, surpassing competitors ABC, NBC, and CBS, which garnered 2.38 million, 2.21 million, and 2.03 million viewers, respectively. In August alone, the network attracted 2.3 million viewers in the prime-time slot from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., with a notable 237,000 viewers in the adults 25-54 demographic. This performance resulted in a 63 percent share of total day cable news viewing, while CNN and MSNBC reported historic lows, with CNN averaging 333,000 viewers and MSNBC 502,000.
Fox News's individual programs also excelled, with "The Five" leading the month with an average of 3.5 million viewers. Other top shows included "Jesse Watters Primetime" with 3.1 million viewers and "Hannity" with 2.6 million. Morning programming, such as "Fox & Friends," continued its dominance, averaging 1.3 million viewers for the 54th consecutive month.
NewsNation Sees Growth
In contrast, Nexstar Media Group's NewsNation reported significant growth in its viewership, increasing its total day audience by 14 percent compared to August 2024. The network's morning program, "Morning in America," experienced an 86 percent rise in viewership, while "NewsNation Live with Marni Hughes" saw its audience in the 25-54 demographic triple. Despite these gains, NewsNation's overall audience remains smaller than that of established networks like Fox News.
Newsmax Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Fox News
Amidst Fox News's ratings success, Newsmax has filed an antitrust lawsuit against the network, alleging that Fox unlawfully maintains a monopoly in the right-leaning pay-TV news sector. The lawsuit claims that Fox has pressured cable providers to favor its programming, thereby stifling competition. Newsmax's CEO, Christopher Ruddy, accused Fox of using its market power to impose onerous demands on distributors, which he argues has hindered Newsmax's growth.
Fox News has dismissed the allegations as baseless, attributing Newsmax's struggles to its inability to attract viewers. A spokesperson for Fox stated that the lawsuit reflects Newsmax's failure in the marketplace rather than any monopolistic practices by Fox.
Implications for the Media Landscape
The ongoing rivalry between Fox News and Newsmax highlights the competitive nature of the conservative media landscape. While Fox continues to dominate in viewership, Newsmax's legal challenge could have broader implications for how conservative media outlets negotiate with distributors and compete for audiences. If successful, the lawsuit may compel Fox to alter its practices, potentially reshaping the dynamics of right-leaning news broadcasting.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Fox may have profited from exclusionary contracts and intimidation tactics for years, but those days are over.” — Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax
- “Newsmax cannot sue their way out of their own competitive failures in the marketplace to chase headlines simply because they can’t attract viewers.” — Fox News spokesperson
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While Fox News reported a 1 percent increase in prime-time audience year-over-year, Newsmax claims it could have achieved better success without Fox's alleged monopolistic practices. The contrasting narratives underscore the complexities of audience dynamics in the cable news industry.
