Cable TV news consumption is on the decline. Adults aged between 18 and 34 years old were the least likely to use cable TV networks as a source of news, with a survey held in the United States in August 2022 revealing that 45 percent never did so. Younger consumers preferred social media sites for keeping up to date, and whilst their older peers turned to cable news more frequently, network news was still a more popular daily news source.
Falling cable news ratings
Back in 2017, FOX News, the leading cable news network in the United States, had an average of almost 470 thousand viewers in the primetime demo. With the exception of 2020 where news consumption soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, ratings have fallen consecutively each year, and by 2022, FOX’s average viewer count sank to 341 thousand. CNN and MSNBC saw even greater drops in their audiences, with the latter seeing its ratings fall by more than 2.5 times between 2017 and 2022.
Frequency of using cable news as a source of news among adults in the United States as of August 2022, by age group
Characteristic
Daily
A few times per week
Once per week
A few times per month
Once per month
Less than once per month
Never
18-34
10%
13%
8%
9%
5%
10%
45%
35-44
18%
18%
6%
7%
4%
11%
36%
45-64
25%
16%
6%
8%
2%
7%
36%
65+
32%
16%
3%
5%
2%
5%
37%
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Share of respondents10%10%18%18%25%25%32%32%13%13%18%18%16%16%16%16%8%8%6%6%6%6%3%3%9%9%7%7%8%8%5%5%5%5%4%4%2%2%2%2%10%10%11%11%7%7%5%5%45%45%36%36%36%36%37%37%DailyA few times per weekOnce per weekA few times per monthOnce per monthLess than once per monthNever18-3435-4445-6465+
0%25%50%75%100%125%
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Morning Consult. (October 17, 2022). Frequency of using cable news as a source of news among adults in the United States as of August 2022, by age group [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved January 20, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/742225/frequency-of-watching-cable-news-in-the-us-age/
Morning Consult. "Frequency of using cable news as a source of news among adults in the United States as of August 2022, by age group." Chart. October 17, 2022. Statista. Accessed January 20, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/742225/frequency-of-watching-cable-news-in-the-us-age/
Morning Consult. (2022). Frequency of using cable news as a source of news among adults in the United States as of August 2022, by age group. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: January 20, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/742225/frequency-of-watching-cable-news-in-the-us-age/
Morning Consult. "Frequency of Using Cable News as a Source of News among Adults in The United States as of August 2022, by Age Group." Statista, Statista Inc., 17 Oct 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/742225/frequency-of-watching-cable-news-in-the-us-age/
Morning Consult, Frequency of using cable news as a source of news among adults in the United States as of August 2022, by age group Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/742225/frequency-of-watching-cable-news-in-the-us-age/ (last visited January 20, 2025)
Frequency of using cable news as a source of news among adults in the United States as of August 2022, by age group [Graph], Morning Consult, October 17, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/742225/frequency-of-watching-cable-news-in-the-us-age/
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