Fox’s UNSTOPPABLE Ratings Streak Continues

Fox News hosts Greg Gutfeld and Jesse Watters are crushing their competition so thoroughly that their shows are now outperforming not just cable rivals, but major broadcast networks—a stunning shift in how Americans consume news.

Story Snapshot

Jesse Watters’ primetime show averaged 3.6 million viewers in 2025, leading all cable news programming while MSNBC and CNN combined drew far fewer eyes
Greg Gutfeld’s late-night program beat broadcast giants like Stephen Colbert, marking the first time a cable news show has consistently topped traditional late-night television
Fox News dominated the top 12 cable programs in 2025, achieving its best non-election year ratings ever with primetime viewership 80% higher than MSNBC and CNN combined
The network’s Q1 2026 performance extended its winning streak to 20 consecutive quarters atop all cable networks, even surpassing CBS in total viewers

Fox News Achieves Historic Ratings Dominance

Fox News delivered unprecedented viewership numbers throughout 2025 and into early 2026, with primetime averaging 2.72 million viewers—a 14% year-over-year increase. The network captured all of the top 12 cable programs, a feat no competitor came close to matching. Jesse Watters Primetime led cable primetime with 3.6 million average viewers, while The Five reached 4.1 million viewers. This performance represents the network’s strongest non-election year on record, demonstrating sustained audience loyalty beyond major political events. The numbers suggest millions of Americans are rejecting mainstream media narratives in favor of conservative-leaning analysis and commentary.

Watters and Gutfeld Lead Viewer Engagement

Jesse Watters’ 8 PM primetime slot has become cable news’ most-watched hour, building on his success as a co-host of The Five. His March 2026 performance hit 3.721 million total viewers with 387,000 in the crucial 25-54 demographic that advertisers prize most. Greg Gutfeld’s late-night program achieved even more remarkable success by defeating broadcast network competitors like Stephen Colbert, who averaged only 2 million viewers. Gutfeld’s satirical approach attracted a record 362,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo during 2025, proving that conservative humor resonates with younger audiences. Both hosts demonstrate that personality-driven opinion programming outperforms traditional news formats when viewers seek authentic perspectives rather than establishment talking points.

Competitors Struggle as Fox Extends Cable Supremacy

MSNBC averaged just 923,000 primetime viewers in 2025, while CNN managed only 580,000—a combined total still dwarfed by Fox News alone. The gap widened through Q1 2026, with Fox securing its 20th consecutive quarter as cable’s top-rated network and even surpassing CBS in total viewers during weekday programming. This marks 24 straight years Fox has led cable news ratings, but the recent margin of victory signals something deeper than partisan preference. Many Americans across the political spectrum distrust legacy media institutions they view as protecting political elites rather than holding them accountable. Fox’s dominance reflects this widespread frustration with establishment narratives, even as liberal viewers express their own concerns about government failures through declining engagement with traditional news sources.

Broadcast Networks Lose Ground to Cable Opinion Shows

Fox News beat NBC’s weekday average viewership of 3.1 million with 3.2 million viewers, an unprecedented achievement for a cable network traditionally considered secondary to broadcast television. This shift reveals fundamental changes in how Americans consume news and commentary. Viewers increasingly favor the direct, opinionated approach of hosts like Watters and Gutfeld over the sanitized, establishment-approved messaging of broadcast networks. The trend toward personality-driven programming challenges the notion that objective journalism attracts the largest audiences. Instead, millions of Americans reward authenticity and willingness to question official narratives—core principles many believe have been abandoned by traditional media outlets more concerned with maintaining access to powerful institutions than serving viewers.