Fact check: How do CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC rank in terms of demographic viewership in the 2025 season?

1. Summary of the results

The rankings of CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC in terms of demographic viewership for the 2025 season vary depending on the time frame considered. According to Nielsen Media Research, Fox News averaged 2.43 million total viewers in primetime, beating MSNBC's 783,000 and CNN's 444,000 ^[1]. Additionally, Fox News maintained its dominance in the advertiser-coveted demographic of ages 25-54, averaging 237,000 compared to CNN's 78,000 and MSNBC's 72,000 ^[1]. However, in July, the rankings were slightly different, with Fox News having 2.406 million total viewers in primetime and 257,000 viewers in the adults 25-54 demo, while MSNBC had 865,000 total viewers and 81,000 in the demo, and CNN had 497,000 total viewers and 92,000 in the demo ^[2]. For the week of September 1, Fox News averaged 1.977 million total viewers and 164,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime, while MSNBC averaged 666,000 total viewers and 58,000 in the demo, and CNN averaged 451,000 total viewers and 62,000 in the demo ^[3].

• Key points to note are:
• Fox News consistently ranked first in total viewers and the 25-54 demographic.
• MSNBC and CNN had varying rankings in different time frames, but generally had lower viewership than Fox News.
• Fox News experienced a decline in viewership compared to the same period in 2024, with a -30% decrease in total viewers and a -48% decrease in the demo ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some key context that is missing from the original statement includes the time frame being considered, as the rankings can vary significantly depending on the specific week or month being looked at. For example, Fox News was down -30% in total viewers and -48% in the demo compared to the same month in 2024 ^[2], which could indicate a decline in viewership over time. Additionally, the original statement does not consider other demographic groups, such as younger or older viewers, which could have different preferences and viewing habits. Alternative viewpoints could include considering the impact of external factors, such as major news events or changes in programming, on the viewership rankings.

• Some potential alternative viewpoints to consider are:
• The impact of online streaming services on traditional television viewership.
• The role of social media in shaping public opinion and influencing viewership.
• The potential for biases in the Nielsen Media Research methodology or data collection process ^[1].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be subject to potential misinformation or bias, as it does not provide a clear time frame or context for the viewership rankings. This could lead to misleading or incomplete conclusions about the relative popularity of each network. For example, Fox News remained the most-watched cable network in total day and was ahead of CBS and ABC in total viewers during primetime ^[3], but this statement does not provide a clear comparison to other cable news networks. The sources cited also have potential biases, such as the Fox News favicon appearing in one of the analyses ^[1], which could indicate a pro-Fox News bias.

• Some potential biases to consider are:
• The Adweek favicon appearing in two of the analyses ^{[2] [3]}, which could indicate a bias towards more liberal or progressive viewpoints.
• The potential for Nielsen Media Research to have biases in their methodology or data collection process ^[1].
• The impact of corporate interests or ownership structures on the content and tone of the analyses ^{[1] [2] [3]}.