By Jon Sutz
Last updated: May 7, 2026 (archive here)
Contents
(1) Background, and summary
(2) In the 6-7pm weeknight flagship TV news hour, Fox News attracts less than 1/7 the viewers of all broadcast and cable competitors
(3) Fox News attracts an estimated 46% of total weeknight 7-11pm cable TV news-opinion-talk show viewers
(4) Conclusion
(1) Background, and summary
There is a common perception among my conservative friends* that Fox News is America’s #1 most-watched TV news channel. (*I am a classic liberal, and get my news from a variety of sources)
They, and I, often see claims to this effect, from Fox News and other conservative sources.
There is no question that Fox News is an influential source of news and commentary. Given how steadily Americans, particularly our young, are drifting to the left, however, I’ve always suspected that viewership metrics would tell a very different story. I began looking into this issue in 2020, and at that time, the data I uncovered (presented here) revealed that of all American TV news consumers, only about 10% watched Fox News.
Many of my conservative friends were frustrated when I shared or posted my earlier report, because it challenged one of their basic perceptions, ingrained over a long period of time: that “everyone knows” the (conservative-supporting) facts about major political, economic and social issues — but are in denial, because of partisan bias. To the contrary, I believe that the vast majority of American TV news consumers have never been exposed to conservative-supporting facts, because they reject anything branded “Fox News.”
I recently took another look into this issue, after producing an infographic report that demolished a lie that is peddled by the far left, as well as by some of the biggest “mainstream” news organs, including the Washington Post and CBS News: that “billionaires pay a lower tax rate than average Americans.” Here is an excerpt from my report:
When discussing my report with conservative friends, and acquaintances who work for think tanks, they were astonished that 60% of Americans actually believe this insane lie, or some variant of it. My answer: Viewed from a 100,000 foot perspective, only a tiny minority of Americans watch Fox News Channel, when compared to other broadcast and cable offerings. As before, my view incited great doubt, and often fervent opposition, and sometimes, claims that I am utterly out of my mind to believe this.
In this new, more detailed report, I present evidence that shows the following facts:
- Each weeknight, during the 6-7pm time period, when more than 24 million Americans watch straight news programs on both broadcast and cable TV, only 14% — less than 1 in 7 — watch Fox News
- During the 7-11pm time period on weeknights, when roughly 5 million Americans tune in to cable news analysis and talk shows, 46% choose Fox News
Fox News clearly commands the largest megaphone in cable news. When measured against all of its TV news/analysis competitors, however, Fox News Channel is watched by only a tiny fraction of this market.
(2) In the 6-7pm weeknight flagship TV news hour, Fox News attracts less than 1/7 the viewers of all broadcast and cable competitors
- The total estimated number of Americans who watch TV news during this peak hour is 24,388,000, of which Fox News attracts about 3,000,000 (14%).
For weekday TV shows that are considered to be straight news, the 6-7pm time slot is the Superbowl of viewership.
According to AdWeek, for the week of April 20, 2026:
| Program | Viewers |
| ABC News “World News Tonight” | 8,537,000 |
| “NBC Nightly News” | 6,168,000 |
| “CBS Evening News” | 3,771,000 |
| Total: | 18,476,000 viewers |
The most recent data I could find for the “PBS News Hour” is from 2022, which indicates the program attracted 900,000 viewers.
In contrast, according to Fox News, as of April 29, 2026, its flagship nightly news program, “Special Report with Bret Baier,” averaged 3,000,000 viewers per night.
The other major TV news draws during the 6-7pm weeknight slot are (late 2025 data):
In total, all the primary national broadcast TV flagship shows, combined with CNN and MSNOW, attract an average of 21,388,000 viewers per night.
This means that during the peak 6-7pm TV news cycle, FNC attracts only 14% of total viewers, compared to the broadcast networks’ and cable channels’ 86%.
(Note: I did not include NewsNation, Newsmax or OANN in my calculations, as it does not appear they have straight news programs during this period — however, I do include them in Section 3, below)
(3) Fox News attracts an estimated 46% of total weeknight 7-11pm cable TV news-opinion-talk show viewers
The total estimated number of Americans who watch TV news during this four-hour period is 5,269,000, of which Fox News attracts about 3,109,000 (59%).
Fox News consistently dominates this segment (April 2026 data):
| Program | Viewers |
| “Jesse Watters Primetime” (7-8pm) | 3,600,000 |
| “The Ingraham Angle” (8-9pm) | 2,800,000 |
| “Hannity” (9-10pm) | 3,200,000 |
| “Gutfeld!” (10-11pm) | 3,000,000 |
| Average viewership during prime time: | 3,224,000* |
*Alternatively, note that Nielson estimates the average Fox News prime time audience at 2,994,000. For averaging sake, we will split the difference (230,000 viewers), and deduct 115,000 from FNC’s estimate, for a revised total of 3,109,000.
In contrast, CNN’s and MSNOW’s average 7-11pm viewership estimates are far smaller than FNC’s (data by AdWeek, April 2026):
- CNN: 898,000
- MSNOW: 1,262,000
- NewsNation :191,000
Also, according to TV Newser:
- Newsmax: 243,000
Regarding OANN, according to Grokipedia, it attracts tens of thousands of viewers during weeknight 7-11pm period. Let us estimate this at 50,000 viewers per night.
Combined, CNN, MSNOW, NewsNation, NewsMax and OANN attract an average of 2,644,000 viewers during the weeknight 7-11pm period.
Thus, based on the estimated 5,753,000 viewers of 7-11pm weeknight news-opinion show viewers (3,109,000 + 2,644,000), Fox News attracts about 46% of this audience.
(4) Conclusion
If conservatives and classic liberals (like me) want to successfully challenge the lies that so many Americans have come to believe, which are peddled and/or reinforced by supposedly “mainstream, unbiased” TV news organs, a short interview on Fox News Channel will not lead to this outcome. This is because not only do so few (comparatively) American TV news consumers choose Fox News Channel, but because even sharing a link to such a segment with those among the majority who do not watch it, often leads to an instant rejection; “I don’t trust Faux News!,” etc.
So how can we non-leftists better submit our ideas, and evidence, to the Americans who choose TV news channels other than Fox News?
Challenging the fake narratives and lies that are undermining America, and ripping our culture apart, will require new thinking, that goes way beyond viewing a segment on Fox News Channel is the ultimate destination, the mountaintop of expressing one’s view, and data. It is not.
To me, the key question is: How can we non-leftists format the facts and perspectives we believe to be true in a way that will be visible, understandable, and persuasive to the majority of Americans who do not watch Fox News Channel — and instantly reject anything that bears its branding?
I believe the more that the best of us think about this question, the more creative solutions we will develop, that comport with George Washington’s adage, “Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair.”
During the final month of the 2024 presidential race, as I pondered this question, it led me to create the “2024 Fact Check” series of 30 infographic reports, each of which presents what I view as vital information that the American people should have been aware of before they cast their ballots — but which most had never seen. I’m pleased that two of my infographic reports were featured on “Hannity” (#16 and #29), including this one — which Sean was visibly astonished by, because he’d never seen this data — nor, I speculate, had about 99.5% of voters (note: I have never voted for Trump; none of this was about him):