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Tucker’s Departure, Trump Indictments Have Fox News Facing Strong Ratings Challenge From MSNBC

Dominion And Fox News Reach Settlement In Defamation Case

(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Nicole Silverio Media Reporter
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Fox News is facing a strong ratings competition with MSNBC since the departure of Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson and the indictments of former President Donald Trump.

MSNBC’s ratings surged over the summer due in part to its coverage of the indictments against Trump, according to Axios. The network defeated Fox News in primetime ratings Aug. 14 and Aug. 15.

MSNBC also drew a record 3.9 million views Aug. 14 during anchor Rachel Maddow’s interview with former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Fox News traditionally dominated both its competitors, MSNBC and CNN, in primetime ratings for the past twenty years, according to Forbes.

Fox News’ ratings dropped after parting ways with Carlson in April, who hosted the second highest-rated show on the network. The first episode of the replacement for “Tucker Carlson Tonight” dropped within the key 25-54 key demographic ratings after premiering.

HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 17: Tucker Carlson speaks during 2022 FOX Nation Patriot Awards at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on November 17, 2022 in Hollywood, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)

(Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)

Fox averaged 3.25 million viewers in the 8 p.m. time slot when Carlson was at the network. The replacement show had 2.59 million viewers during its premiere and significantly declined to 1.7 million the follow day. (RELATED: Fox Nosedives Toward Ratings Disaster After Tucker’s Escape) 

MSNBC outpaced Fox News for an entire week in early June and ended its 120-week primetime dominance, per Forbes. During that week, MSNBC averaged 1,374,000 primetime viewers while Fox News averaged a total of 1,314,000. Though Fox News’ ratings came out on top in the second quarter, MSNBC still defeated the network throughout several time periods in the 25-54 demo, according to Axios.

Fox News was the top cable news network in primetime during the second quarter and continued that pattern in the month of July, Axios reported.

The network regained viewership after executives permanently filled the 8 p.m. time slot with anchor Jesse Watters, according to Axios. Anchor Laura Ingraham moved to the 7 p.m. time slot and Greg Gutfeld shifted to 10 p.m. Fox also returned to dominating cable primetime, even amid Maddow’s unprecedented numbers Aug. 14 and Aug. 15.

Carlson is set to air an interview with Trump during the same hour as the 2024 Republican presidential debate Wednesday. The debate will be moderated by Fox News hosts Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier.

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