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[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE]

2 clusters · 8 sources · 14 days · First seen 16 days ago · Last updated 2 days ago

Categories: BUSINESS

Fox News leads US news audience 2026

Entities: CNN · Nielsen · NewsNation · Fox News Channel · Donald Trump

Overview

In the second quarter of 2026, Fox News Digital topped all U.S. news brands and broadcast networks, recording 178 million unique visitors, 4.6 billion views and 9.7 billion minutes—its 21st straight quarter leading in views and the 16th in minutes. The outlet also dominated YouTube with 1.4 billion video views and generated 270 million social‑media interactions, while competitors such as CNN saw a sharp digital decline.

By late July, Fox News extended its dominance to cable television, averaging 2.33 million primetime viewers and about 1.5 million across the full day. Its flagship program “The Five” attracted roughly 3.3 million viewers, and a July 4 speech by former President Donald Trump spiked viewership to 5.7 million. Other cable outlets recorded gains, but Fox News remained the clear leader in both digital and broadcast news audiences.

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 3 SOURCES] Fox News averaged 2.33 million primetime viewers in July. (Nielsen data)
[● 3 SOURCES] Fox News averaged about 1.5 million total‑day viewers in July. (Nielsen data)
[● 3 SOURCES] The Five averaged 3.3 million viewers in July, making it the highest‑rated cable news show. (Nielsen ratings data cited by Fox News)
[● 3 SOURCES] The Five was the top‑rated cable news show in July with about 3.3 million viewers. (Nielsen data)
[● 2 SOURCES] Fox News outperformed ABC, NBC and CBS in weekday primetime, drawing 2.64 million viewers versus 2.45 million for NBC, 2.27 million for ABC and 1.92 million for CBS. (Nielsen ratings data cited by Fox News)
[● 2 SOURCES] Donald Trump’s late‑night July 4 speech peaked at 5.7 million viewers. (Fox News coverage data)
[● 2 SOURCES] Fox News outdrew ABC, NBC and CBS in weekday primetime with 2.64 million viewers. (Nielsen data)
[● 2 SOURCES] Fox News’ July 4 coverage peaked at 5.7 million viewers during President Donald Trump’s speech. (Nielsen data)
[○ 1 SOURCE] NewsNation’s primetime viewership rose 32 % year‑over‑year in July. (Nielsen data cited by NewsNation)
[○ 1 SOURCE] CNN’s total‑day audience grew 26 % in July compared with the previous year. (Nielsen data cited by CNN)
[○ 1 SOURCE] NewsNation’s primetime audience grew 32 % year‑over‑year in July. (Nielsen data)
[○ 1 SOURCE] CNN’s total‑day audience increased 26 % in July. (Nielsen data)

Timeline

2 days ago

[BUSINESS] 6 sources
Fox News Leads July Cable News Ratings with Record Audience
Fox News topped July cable news ratings with 2.33 M primetime viewers, record July 4 audience of 5.7 M, while NewsNation and CNN also posted double‑digit growth.
16 days ago

[BUSINESS] 2 sources
Fox News Digital Leads All News Brands in Q2 2026
Fox News Digital led all news brands in Q2 2026 with 178 million unique visitors (up 29%), 4.6 billion views and 9.7 billion minutes, while CNN saw its weakest digital audience since 2015.

Sources

aijourn.com · deadlinehollywooddaily.com · Foxnews.com · frontlinetoday.com · nytimespost.com · thedesk.net · tvnewser.com · world-today-news.com