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As millions of Americans gathered to celebrate Independence Day, Fox News Channel emerged as the clear leader in television ratings. The network significantly outperformed its broadcast competitors, including NBC, CBS, and ABC, during the weekday primetime slots from June 30 to July 6.
Fox News attracted an impressive average of 2.8 million viewers during this period. In contrast, NBC garnered 2.4 million viewers, while CBS and ABC attracted 2 million and 1.9 million viewers, respectively. This trend signifies the network’s enduring appeal among television audiences, particularly during significant national celebrations.
Throughout the entire week, Fox News maintained a considerable lead, averaging 1.6 million total viewers and impressively capturing 225,000 viewers in the highly sought-after demographic of adults aged 25-54. The network captured 65% of both the primetime and total day cable news audience, highlighting its strong position in the market. Notably, Fox News aired the top 105 cable news telecasts for that week, underscoring its dominance in the television landscape.
Leading Shows and Ratings
Among its flagship programs, “The Five” stood out, averaging 3.7 million total viewers and 418,000 within the critical demographic, making it the most-watched cable news program of the week. Other programs also performed exceptionally well. “Special Report with Bret Baier,” “The Ingraham Angle,” and “Hannity” each averaged 2.8 million viewers, while “Gutfeld!” attracted an audience of 3.1 million. Additionally, “FOX News @ Night” secured an average of 1.6 million viewers, contributing to the network’s impressive cable news performance.
Beyond primetime, Fox News consistently outperformed free-to-air programming during daytime slots. Notable shows such as “The Will Cain Show,” “America Reports,” “Outnumbered,” “The Story,” “The Faulkner Focus,” and “America’s Newsroom” all generated higher viewer numbers compared to their counterparts on CBS, NBC, and ABC.
Independence Day Viewership Surge
On July 4, the day of the Independence Day celebrations, Fox News averaged 2.1 million total viewers with 319,000 in the advertiser-favored demographic. This figure represents a remarkable 50% increase in total viewers year-over-year and an astounding 108% growth among the key demographic. In contrast, CNN’s numbers were significantly lower, with only 532,000 total viewers and 139,000 in the key demo, reflecting double-digit declines.
Additionally, programs like “The Big Weekend Show” claimed the lead in cable news on Saturday with 1.7 million total viewers, while “My View with Lara Trump” topped the demographic ratings. Maria Bartiromo’s “Sunday Morning Futures” also made waves, averaging 1.6 million viewers to dominate the Sunday morning ratings.
Quarterly Performance Highlights
The strong performance surrounding the July 4 celebrations comes on the heels of Fox News’s continued success over the second quarter of 2025. The network has showcased impressive ratings, averaging 1.6 million total daytime viewers, securing its position as the leader among all basic cable options. This achievement firmly placed Fox News ahead of competitors like MSNBC, which averaged 596,000 viewers, and CNN, which lagged with only 406,000 viewers. Notably, Fox News has maintained the No. 1 position in total daytime viewers for 17 consecutive quarters.
In the primetime viewing arena, Fox News bested all competitors with an average audience of 2.6 million. TNT followed with 1.7 million viewers, while MSNBC and CNN managed only one million and 538,000 viewers, respectively, placing them outside the top five cable networks.
Fox News’s performance during this period highlights its resilience and widespread appeal in a rapidly evolving media landscape. This marks the sixth consecutive quarter during which the network secured the top spots among both total daytime and primetime viewers.
Ascending Above Broadcast Rivals
Furthermore, Fox News outperformed major networks like ABC and NBC during the second quarter, and it surpassed CBS for both total viewers and the coveted demographic for the month of June. This robust performance solidifies Fox News’s position as a leader in news coverage and viewer engagement.
The ratings data for this report comes from Nielsen Media Research, underscoring the accuracy and reliability of these insights. As viewership dynamics continue to shift, Fox News remains a dominant force in shaping television news consumption patterns across the United States.
With a strategic focus on compelling programming and ongoing viewer engagement, Fox News is well-positioned to maintain its status as a leader in American television news.
