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Fact check: What percentage of fox news viewership is white or non-white?

Checked on July 19, 2025

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, Fox News viewership is overwhelmingly white. The most specific data comes from Nielsen research cited in 2018, which found that Fox News' viewership was 94% white, 3% Hispanic, 2% Asian, and 1% Black [1]. This means that non-white viewership comprised only 6% of the total audience.

Additional supporting data indicates that people who cite Fox News as their main source of political news are 87% white and tend to be older, with around four-in-ten being 65 or older [2]. Interestingly, one source mentions that Hispanic Americans were the most engaged with the news channel [3], though this appears to refer to engagement levels rather than overall viewership percentages.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important pieces of context are missing from the available data:

  • The demographic data is from 2018 [1], which may not reflect current viewership patterns given demographic shifts and changing media consumption habits over the past 7 years
  • No recent comprehensive demographic breakdowns are provided in the analyses, despite references to 2023 surveys about viewing frequency by ethnicity [3]
  • The distinction between "engagement" and actual viewership percentages is unclear - while Hispanic Americans may be "most engaged," this doesn't necessarily translate to higher viewership numbers
  • Comparison data with other major news networks is largely absent, making it difficult to assess whether Fox News' demographic composition is typical or unusual for cable news

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself appears neutral and factual, simply asking for demographic data. However, there are potential issues with the available information:

  • Outdated data being presented without temporal context - the 2018 Nielsen data [1] may no longer be accurate but is presented as current fact
  • Conflicting information about Hispanic viewership - sources suggest both low Hispanic representation (3% in 2018) and high Hispanic "engagement" without clarifying this apparent contradiction
  • Limited sourcing - much of the demographic data relies on a single Nielsen study from 2018, with other sources providing little to no specific demographic breakdowns [4] [5] [6] [7]

The lack of recent, comprehensive demographic data makes it difficult to provide a definitive current answer to the question posed.

Want to dive deeper?
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