Fox News Leads Ratings on Election Night

The 2024 election night garnered significant viewership, with over 42 million people tuning into cable news across the U.S., though this represented a 25% decline from the 2020 election. Fox News led the ratings with 9.8 million viewers during prime-time coverage, followed by ABC with 5.7 million and MSNBC with 5.5 million, marking the first time MSNBC outperformed CNN, which fell to 4.7 million viewers—down nearly 50% from 2020. Sky News Australia also achieved record ratings, being the first to call Trump's victory at 5:33 PM Sydney time, with high engagement across digital platforms. Overall, Fox News averaged nearly 13.6 million viewers across all its platforms, dominating both broadcast and cable networks. Analysts suggest the decline in viewership may be attributed to a shift towards streaming services and social media among younger audiences. This election saw a notable change in viewing habits, impacting traditional cable news consumption.