The battle for cable news ratings supremacy takes an unprecedented turn as networks face significant viewership shifts in their prime-time programming.
According to Breitbart, Fox News achieved a remarkable milestone in April 2025 by attracting five times more total viewers than CNN during prime-time hours, with 2.592 million viewers compared to CNN's 519,000.
The striking disparity between the two networks extends beyond total viewership numbers. Fox News secured 296,000 viewers in the crucial 25-54 age demographic, while CNN managed only 99,000 viewers in the same category.
MSNBC landed in the middle with 1.207 million total viewers and 105,000 viewers in the key demographic.
Cable News Networks Performance Analysis
Monthly comparisons reveal significant changes in viewership patterns across all major networks. CNN experienced a concerning decline, with a 12% decrease in total viewers and an 18% drop in the demographic during prime time compared to March.
The network's performance showed even steeper declines when measured against April 2024, posting a 17% reduction in total viewers and a 12% decrease in the demographic category.
Fox News, despite experiencing larger month-over-month decreases than CNN, demonstrated remarkable year-over-year growth. The network reported a 31% increase in total viewers and a 35% rise in the demographic compared to the previous year. Total day metrics showed similar strength, with 28% and 29% improvements, respectively.
These results particularly stand out, given past media predictions about Fox News's future. Various publications had forecast the network's decline due to its aging viewership base.
Historical Media Predictions Versus Current Reality
The Atlantic Magazine editor Frank Rich offered this perspective in 2014:
Fox News is losing younger viewers at an even faster rate than its competitors. With a median viewer age now at 68 according to Nielsen data through mid-January (compared with 60 for MSNBC and CNN, and 62 to 64 for the broadcast networks), Fox is in essence a retirement community. If it is actuarially possible, its median viewer age will keep creeping upward. It rose by two years over the course of 2013.
Multiple media outlets, including New York Magazine and Inverse, published similar predictions about Fox News's eventual decline due to its aging audience.
These forecasts have proven incorrect, as demonstrated by the network's current performance and growth in younger demographic segments.
Detailed Network Performance Metrics
Throughout April, the networks showed varying performance levels across different time segments. In total day viewership, Fox News maintained its leading position with 1.621 million viewers and 202,000 in the demographic.
CNN recorded 410,000 total day viewers with 68,000 in the demographic, while MSNBC achieved 656,000 total viewers but only 62,000 in the demographic.
The substantial gap between Fox News and its competitors extends beyond prime-time hours, indicating a broader pattern of viewership preference.
These numbers suggest a significant shift in how audiences consume cable news content and challenge previous assumptions about demographic trends in news viewership.
Cable News Networks April 2025 Overview
Fox News continues to dominate cable news ratings with unprecedented margins over its competitors, particularly CNN. The network's success contradicts decade-old predictions about its eventual decline due to an aging viewer base.
Instead, Fox News has shown remarkable growth across all key metrics, especially in the coveted 25-54 demographic.
The significant viewership gap between networks reflects broader changes in media consumption patterns and audience preferences. While CNN struggles with declining numbers and MSNBC maintains middle-ground performance, Fox News's growing audience suggests a potential long-term shift in cable news viewership dynamics.
