The aftermath of President-elect Donald Trump’s sweeping victory in the 2024 election has done more than shift the political landscape—it’s laid bare the collapse of trust in legacy media. Networks like CNN and MSNBC, once dominant voices in shaping public opinion, are now hemorrhaging viewers, with many Americans turning to alternatives like Fox News for their news and analysis.
Trump’s decisive win, which stunned the media establishment, has had a profound impact on the ratings of left-leaning outlets. For years, legacy media pushed narratives that painted Trump and his supporters as outliers, banking on divisive rhetoric to boost viewership. But as Americans rejected these portrayals at the ballot box, they’ve also turned away from the networks that peddled them.
Fox News, the consistent leader in conservative media, has emerged as a clear winner in this environment. The network now commands 73% of primetime cable news viewership, including 71% of the coveted 25-54 advertising demographic. Post-election, Fox’s primetime audience surged by 34%, reaching an impressive 3.2 million viewers. Even more notable is the network’s 46% growth in the key demographic, with 417,000 viewers tuning in nightly.
In contrast, CNN and MSNBC are watching their audiences evaporate. CNN has seen a 35% drop in total primetime viewership, with only 469,000 viewers remaining. Its performance in the key advertising demographic is even worse, with just 99,000 viewers—a 36% decline. MSNBC’s situation is even more dire, with a staggering 47% decline in total viewers and a 50% collapse in the key demo, attracting only 69,000 viewers.
Conservative commentator Sean Spicer didn’t hold back as he laid out the grim statistics for left-wing networks. “Morning Joe is down 39.6%. Andrea Mitchell? Down 39.7%. Joy Reid? Down 54.6%. Lawrence O’Donnell? Down 60.6%. Stephanie Ruhle takes the prize—67% gone,” Spicer detailed. “These networks didn’t just lose viewers. They lost the trust of the American people.”
Spicer’s critique was more than numbers; it was a scathing indictment of how legacy media has failed to adapt or even acknowledge its own bias. “Reporters ask how they missed this again,” Spicer said. “We didn’t miss it. You did. You ignored the voices of everyday Americans for years, and now they’re ignoring you.”
The distrust in legacy media isn’t just about ratings; it’s about accountability. Journalist Mark Halperin criticized the media’s inability to reckon with its role in covering up issues during the Biden administration and its subsequent downfall. “The same people who shaped the narrative against Trump are now expected to cover him fairly. That’s impossible without acknowledging their failures,” Halperin argued.
The ratings collapse of CNN and MSNBC underscores a broader trend: Americans are done with being fed biased narratives. They’re seeking news outlets that align with their values and respect their intelligence.
As Fox News surges, it’s clear that Americans are voting with their remotes. Legacy media’s monopoly on the narrative is over, and for millions, that’s a victory worth celebrating.
