Fox News Channel crushes CNN, MSNBC in Republican National Convention ratings

Fox News Channel scored a massive ratings victory on the final night of the historic 2024 Republican National Convention, capping a dominant week over its competition.

On the evening former President Trump accepted his party's nomination for a third time, Fox News drew more than 9.8 million viewers, with 1.9 million in the 25-54 age demographic, from 10:30 p.m. to midnight ET on Thursday, according to Nielsen data.

From 10 p.m ET to 12:30 a.m. ET, "FOX News Democracy 2024: The Republican National Convention," co-anchored by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, notched 9.2 million total viewers and 1.8 million in the 25-54 demo, easily beating CNN (1.9 million/625,00) and MSNBC (1.2 million/158,000) during the time slot. It also easily beat its broadcast competitors NBC, CBS and ABC.

At the 10 p.m. hour, when Trump spoke, Fox News broke records with the highest-rated convention coverage since 1992, according to a release, averaging 10.4 million viewers and 2 million in the key demo. Popular late-night show "Gutfeld!" drew 3 million total viewers and 623,000 in the 25-54 demo for its special live broadcast in Milwaukee at 12:30 a.m. 

FOX NEWS DIGITAL THUMPS CNN, NY TIMES, OTHER MAJOR NEWS BRANDS IN KEY METRICS DURING SECOND QUARTER

Fox News finished the RNC with 6.6 million viewers and 1.1 million in the 25-54 demo, during Monday through Thursday primetime (8-11 p.m. ET). The total day average for FNC saw nearly 3 million and 446,000 in the 25-54 demo, a double-digit increase across the board versus the 2016 RNC.

Overall, Fox had nearly 75 percent of the cable news primetime audience for the week, according to a release, with CNN drawing just 1.1 million total viewers and 304,000 in the demo for the week. MSNBC drew only 1.1 million total viewers and just 140,000 in primetime.

Dominant throughout primetime every night, the network’s programming delivered 9 million viewers and 1.6 million in the 25-54 demo on Thursday, with FOX Business Network’s combined simulcast. 

Fox's signature nighttime lineup also had huge wins each hour, with "The Ingraham Angle," "Jesse Watters Primetime," and "Hannity" from 7-10 p.m. ET defeating the competition by triple digit percentages and finishing as the top programs each night. 

"The Five," the most-watched show this year on cable news, scored 4.2 million viewers and 413,000 in the demo at 5 p.m. ET, while "Special Report with Bret Baier" followed up the next hour with 3.8 million viewers and 438,000 in the demo.

FIVE BIGGEST MOMENTS OF TRUMP'S SPEECH TO RNC

In his acceptance speech on Thursday, Trump somberly discussed the assassination attempt against him in Pennsylvania and paid tribute to Corey Comperatore, a supporter who was killed in the shooting.

Trump made a call for unity in the address but also pivoted to sharply criticizing the state of the country under President Biden, whose own candidacy is in peril as some top Democrats seek to replace him on the ticket.

Pointing to inflation, the crisis at the nation's southern border with Mexico, and the ongoing wars in Ukraine and in Gaza, Trump argued that "it is time for a change. We simply cannot sustain four more years of this administration."

Fox News' Brooke Singman and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.