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FOX vs. CNBC viewer IQ?
Executive summary
Claims that "Fox viewers have lower IQs than CNBC viewers" stem from viral items and hoax studies rather than peer‑reviewed research; a widely circulated "IQ 20 points lower" study about Fox viewers has been debunked as fake [1]. Reliable audience data show clear demographic and education differences across cable news audiences — for example, Fox viewers skew differently on employment and education metrics than other networks — but available sources do not provide a rigorous, current IQ comparison between Fox and CNBC viewers (p1_s3; not found in current reporting).
1. Viral claims vs. verifiable research: the hoax that took off
A repeated online claim — that Fox News viewers average an IQ of 80 (about 20 points below the U.S. mean) — traces to a purported "Intelligence Institute" study that lacks verifiable methods and has been labeled a hoax by media‑watchers; Poynter’s review concluded the study claiming low IQs for Fox viewers was not legitimate [1]. Snopes and other aggregations documented the spread of versions of the claim; those writeups note absence of transparent data or peer‑reviewed publication [2].
2. What actual studies show about knowledge, not IQ
While the fake IQ study is unreliable, some legitimate polling and academic work has examined how well different news audiences understand current events. For example, Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind and a University of Maryland study cited in commentary found that regular Fox viewers scored lower on some factual knowledge measures than audiences of other outlets — but those results assess misinformation or factual knowledge, not innate intelligence [3] [1]. Available sources do not equate knowledge‑gaps with measured IQ scores (p1_s1; not found in current reporting).
3. Audience composition: education, profession and taste
Public Opinion Strategies’ demographic work shows distinct audience profiles across cable networks: Fox viewers are more likely to be employed and are often characterized in polls as older and whiter, while MSNBC viewers are likelier to work in professional or managerial roles; these patterns imply different educational and occupational mixes across networks but do not translate directly into IQ comparisons [4]. Use of demographic context is valid; extrapolating to IQ without data is not supported by the cited sources (p1_s3; not found in current reporting).
4. Ratings and reach change the conversation about “who watches what”
Cable ratings data from Adweek and network press show Fox News consistently leads in total viewers for many quarters in 2025, and Fox claims large primetime audiences compared with CNN or MSNBC; CNBC, by contrast, is a business network with different program-level audiences [5] [6]. High viewership means any broad claim about the average intelligence of a network’s audience would require robust sampling and methodology, which the hoax studies did not provide [5] [6].
5. Methodological red flags to watch for in IQ claims
Credible IQ studies report clear sampling frames, validated tests, peer review and controls for education, age and socioeconomics. The widely circulated “IQ 80” story lacks those elements and was traced to nontransparent or satirical origins; Poynter documents how the claim was manufactured and amplified [1]. Snopes’ coverage likewise points to missing documentation and implausible methodology in viral posts [2].
6. Competing interpretations and political motivation
Some actors pushing the low‑IQ story had explicit political aims — commentators and partisan sites sometimes amplified the narrative to discredit opposing audiences [1]. Conversely, defenders of Fox highlight audience size and ratings as evidence of broad reach rather than poor intellect [7]. Both the debunkers and amplifiers have interests: fact‑checkers aim to protect accuracy, while partisan outlets may use or reject claims to serve political narratives [1] [7].
7. Bottom line for readers: what is and isn’t supported
Available, credible reporting shows misinformation and knowledge‑deficits have been measured across news audiences, and that Fox, CNBC and other networks attract different demographic mixes [3] [4]. However, the specific claim that "Fox viewers have dramatically lower IQs than CNBC viewers" is unsupported by trustworthy, cited research and the most famous study behind that claim has been debunked as a hoax [1] [2]. Readers seeking hard comparisons should look for studies that publish methods, control for education and demographics, and distinguish between factual knowledge and measured intelligence — none of which are provided by the viral IQ items cited in current reporting (p1_s7; not found in current reporting).
If you want, I can search for peer‑reviewed studies comparing cognitive testing or knowledge measures across news audiences and summarize the methodologies and findings.