It appears that Fox News has rebounded rather nicely after the initial aftershocks of Tucker Carlson’s abrupt firing in 2023.
When the outspoken conservative host was suddenly removed from his post, it initially appeared as if Carlson was taking swathes of viewers with him.
And for a while, that bore painfully true.
One year later, however, and it appears Fox News has corrected course — for now.
According to a release from the news network itself, Fox News enjoyed a historically good July.
The release begins by rattling off a number of factoids, and it begins with one that will surely sting Fox News’ top competitors in the establishment media landscape.
“FNC is Only Network to Grow its Audience Versus 2020 and 2016 as MSNBC and CNN Shed Double-Digits,” reads the very first line.
“FOX News Channel (FNC) finished the month of July as the most watched network in all of television in weekday primetime, outpacing not only all of cable but the competition on broadcast networks ABC, CBS and NBC,” the network boasted.
Fox then noted that its July viewership was a company-best: “Posting its highest July on record and among top 10 highest-rated months of all time, FNC is the only channel to grow its audience versus 2020 and 2016, as the competition shed massive viewership.
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“According to Nielsen Media Research, FNC has accelerated the most among U.S. television, gaining the largest percentage of viewers and solidifying its spot as the go-to destination for all breaking news, occupying the largest share of the audience since November 2014 (60% in total day viewers).
“Attracting the highest viewership in television, FOX News Media was the leader in news during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, the Republican National Convention (RNC), President Biden’s decision to end his re-election campaign and his first Oval Office address to the nation following the news.
“FNC delivered 99 of the top 100 telecasts in cable news, while MSNBC netted just one and CNN had zero. July was the highest-rated month since the November 2020 election as more Independents continued to tune in to FNC over any other network, according to data from Nielsen MRI Fusion. Additionally, FNC ranked as the top network in all of cable among upscale, Asian and Hispanic viewers during total day viewership and 25-54 demo.”
A little further in the release, Fox noted just how much of a bloodbath it’s been when it comes to the network’s top competitors.
“Notably, FNC is up double-digits in both total day (+17%) viewers and 7-11 PM/ET primetime (+15%), while CNN lost 47% of total day viewers and 43% in primetime versus 2020,” Fox said.
The network continued: “MSNBC followed suit dropping 40% of total day and primetime viewers. This trend also is reflected versus 2016, with FNC growing 21% in total day viewers and 25% in primetime as CNN shed 45% and 47%, respectively while MSNBC was also down across the board in primetime.”
While July 2024 was a historic month, July 2023 still wasn’t that shabby for Fox.
Even in a greatly diminished state, fresh off of Carlson’s ouster, the network was still handily beating MSNBC and CNN.
A year later, and it appears that chasm has only widened.
