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Fox News keeps winning. Not just in the ratings, but on digital and in the revenue space. And there’s no sign of them slowing down.
Is a portion of this driven by President Trump? Absolutely. But if you’re the competition and you think Fox News will begin to wilt come January 2029, there’s very little tangible evidence to suggest that’s the case.
As was reported by Barrett Media on Thursday, during the first quarter of 2026, Fox News averaged 1.7 million viewers in the total day category. In primetime, that figure rose to 2.7 million. It marked the 97th consecutive quarter that the network earned the top spot in primetime cable news ratings. The network earned 14 of the top 15 programs in cable news, with a 23% quarter-over-quarter increase in total-day viewership.
Around the other networks, MSNBC saw a resurgence. CNN had its best quarter since 2022. And NewsNation saw triple-digit increases on some of its primetime shows.
But it’s still Fox News dominating the landscape, with total audience figures far greater than those of its three main competitors — combined.
And not only that, but ad revenue has been tremendous as well. In February, Fox Corp reported $5.18 billion in total revenue. That’s a 2% year-over-year increase, as companywide ad revenue rose 1% and cable advertising jumped 7%, driven by news and sports pricing.
And if you think that’s mostly sports. Well, that’s not the case. “The advertising market for Fox News has been incredibly robust,” CEO Lachlan Murdoch told investors. “This half, we’ve added about 200 new advertisers, and you have to remember that is on top of 350 new advertisers that we added last year. So the demand for the product and audience remains incredibly strong.”
Remember just a few years ago when everyone was convinced that brands would forever run away from Fox News? Well, this is just further evidence that ROI is winning while brand safety fears are fading. Businesses are looking for every angle to invest their advertising dollars wisely and efficiently. And Fox News is winning the day for its advertisers — which is why they continue to see revenue growth.
Two other lessons from Fox News’ success stand out to me. First, cable news is strongest when it becomes live-event television. And that’s true for radio as well. Whether it’s live war coverage, the State of the Union address, or a dictator in South America being captured by his country, it can mirror what live sports does best. There was plenty of that to cover in the first quarter of the year.
News/talk radio can also use this as a reminder that, as much as we take pride in our personality-driven programming, breaking news in your city, your state, the country, or the world can be the live-event programming that, when it comes, is a home run for audience growth.
Second, personality-driven content is a major reason for Fox’s continued success. MSNBC tinkered with its lineup. CNN added microphones to its set to look more podcast-ish. Fox News just keeps delivering with strong, opinionated, credible personalities who react to the top stories of the day. That loyalty cannot be bought. It’s earned through years of brand and personality credibility.
So as we look ahead to the coming months in the news/talk space, remember how successful this format is in delivering results for its advertisers. The “fear factor” has continued to dissipate, breaking news is your live-event programming, and reaction and analysis from credible personalities will win in your market.
As we embark on the unofficial start of a midterm year, the format can have a huge 2026 — we just need to play our cards right, just as Fox News continues to do in the cable news space.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the Vice President of News/Talk for Cumulus Media, while also hosting “Mundo in the Morning” and programming KCMO Talk Radio in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on X @PeteMundo.