Fox News Ratings Fall 27% Amid GOP Midterm Losses, CEO Comments
Published on · Source: cnbc.com
AI Summary
Summarized by AI from the source belowFox News reported a 27% decline in average viewership in October compared to the prior year, with 1.1 million viewers on average. This drop coincided with Democratic wins in the 2026 midterm elections where Democrats gained control of both the Senate and House, flipping typically Republican states such as Texas, South Carolina, and Kansas. President Donald Trump criticized Fox News on his social media platform, Truth Social, blaming the network for Republican losses due to perceived favorable coverage of Democrats.
Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch attributed the viewership decline to "viewer fatigue" during a midterm election cycle with a second-term president. Murdoch stated that the viewers leaving Fox News are not migrating to other news channels like MS NOW or CNN but are watching less TV overall. MS NOW and CNN saw double-digit increases in primetime viewership in October year-over-year, though still had smaller total-day average audiences than Fox News.
Despite the ratings drop, Fox Corp. posted strong fiscal results for the first quarter of fiscal 2027, reporting $4.57 billion in revenue, a 22% increase year over year. Advertising revenue grew 47%, boosted by political ads and the FIFA Men's World Cup broadcast. This data highlights shifts in audience behavior during election periods and the impact on Fox News, a network closely associated with Trump, which may influence advertising strategies and investor expectations.
Informational only, not financial advice. Content is AI-generated and may contain errors. How this works.
Our take
Opinion from the Newsstocks AI desk, not investment adviceThe ratings decline at Fox News during the midterm elections reflects viewer fatigue rather than a direct shift to competitors. Fox Corp.'s strong revenue growth suggests its diversified assets and advertising have so far offset the viewership drop. Continued audience fluctuations during political cycles will be an important factor for future earnings.
Key numbers
- October average viewers
- 1.1 million
- Year-over-year viewership decline
- 27%
- Fiscal Q1 2027 revenue
- $4.57 billion
- Advertising revenue increase
- 47%
What could help
- Fox Corp. revenue grew 22% driven by strong advertising and major sports events.
What could hurt
- Fox News' significant 27% drop in viewership may concern advertisers and investors.
The background
Viewership ratings indicate the size of a TV audience and influence advertising revenue. Election cycles can affect news channel ratings due to changes in political interest.
Questions readers ask
Why did Fox News' ratings fall in October 2026?
Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch said the decline was due to viewer fatigue during a midterm election with a second-term president, not viewers switching to other channels.
How did the GOP perform in the 2026 midterm elections?
Democrats took control of both the Senate and House, flipping seats in states usually favorable to Republicans including Texas, South Carolina, and Kansas.
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