Lachlan Murdoch attributes Fox News ratings slide to viewer fatigue

Fox News viewership declined by 27 percent in October 2025 compared to the same month in 2024, according to ratings data released last week. The sharp drop occurred while CNN viewership increased by 3 percent and MS NOW viewership rose by 17 percent over the same twelve-month period.

Lachlan Murdoch, chief executive officer of Fox Corp, addressed the decline during a conference call with investors and analysts on Monday morning. He described the network's business as being in incredibly good shape despite the recent dip in numbers. Murdoch attributed the change in viewership to viewer fatigue, a pattern he said is comparable to the political environment of the 2006 midterm elections.

The 2006 cycle featured President George W. Bush entering midterms with a low approval rating, a situation Murdoch likened to the current political climate under President Donald Trump. Murdoch argued that the 2025 news cycle provided a difficult comparison for the network. He cited major events from the previous year, including the presidential inauguration, the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and sustained interest in the Department of Government Efficiency, as factors that elevated viewership during that period.

Murdoch stated that loyal Fox viewers are not switching to competitors such as CNN or MS NOW. Instead, he suggested that the audience is watching slightly less television overall due to fatigue. He noted that the network has navigated similar situations before and knows how to move through them.

The decline in Fox News ratings was most pronounced among adults aged 25 to 54. The network recorded its lowest audience level in this demographic since August 2001. The contraction in Fox's reach in this age group was even more stark when compared to the growth seen at MS NOW during the same timeframe.

Fox executives have previously identified ratings drops as potential brand crises. Emails and texts obtained through a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems revealed that internal communications in 2020 described a similar ratings slump as a crisis. At that time, executives planned social events to help staff manage the pressure, a strategy that preceded a subsequent return of viewers to the channel.

The current midterm election cycle presents distinct challenges for the network. The post-election period marks the effective start of the 2028 presidential primary season, a cycle in which Donald Trump is not expected to be a candidate. This dynamic differs from previous midterm cycles where the incumbent president remained a central figure in the political narrative.