conv.

All stories
BusinessQuiet 9d · day 10

Lachlan Murdoch blames Fox News ratings slide on 'viewer fatigue'

Fox Corp's CEO says a 28% primetime ratings drop reflects audience fatigue, not defection, as CNN and MS NOW gain viewers ahead of the midterms.

newest coverage 9d agosummary written 10d ago20 pieces NewswiresMastodonGoogle NewsReddit

What to know

  • Fox News primetime ratings fell 28% year-over-year in October, just ahead of the US midterm elections.
  • CEO Lachlan Murdoch attributes the drop to 'viewer fatigue' after an intense 2025 news cycle, saying viewers aren't switching to rival channels but simply watching less TV.
  • The decline coincides with CNN and MS NOW expanding their audiences, and some observers instead link it to President Trump's slipping approval ratings.
  • FOX Corp. nonetheless posted record quarterly revenue of $4.57 billion, up 22% year-over-year, showing the broader business remains strong despite the ratings slide.

“What we are seeing is some viewer fatigue, where our viewers have gone through an incredible news cycle last year with the inauguration, the Charlie Kirk tragedy, DOGE, flooding, it was an incredible news cycle last year … Those viewers are not switching to another news channel. They are just fatigued and watching slightly less television overall. We have seen this playbook, and we know how to move through it.”

Lachlan Murdoch, Fox Corp. CEO · Barrett Media ↗ · Nov 1

Lachlan MurdochLachlan Murdoch Fox Corp. CEOCNN Rival cable news networkMS NOW Rival cable news network

Lachlan Murdoch blames Fox News ratings slide on 'viewer fatigue'
w.st

How it unfolded 4 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 10 pieces in 3h at Nov 2, 9 AM; 20 pieces over 10 days (13 articles · 7 posts) Nov 2, 9 AM — 10 pieces · 10 articles — Newswires 9, Google News 1Nov 2, 12 PM — 7 pieces · 3 articles · 4 posts — Mastodon 3, Newswires 3, Reddit 1Nov 2, 3 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Nov 2, 6 PM — quietNov 2, 9 PM — quietNov 3, 12 AM — quietNov 3, 3 AM — quietNov 3, 6 AM — quietNov 3, 9 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Nov 3, 12 PM — quietNov 3, 3 PM — quietNov 3, 6 PM — quietNov 3, 9 PM — quietNov 4, 12 AM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 6 AM — quietNov 4, 9 AM — quietNov 4, 12 PM — quietNov 4, 3 PM — quietNov 4, 6 PM — quietNov 4, 9 PM — quietNov 5, 12 AM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 6 AM — quietNov 5, 9 AM — quietNov 5, 12 PM — quietNov 5, 3 PM — quietNov 5, 6 PM — quietNov 5, 9 PM — quietNov 6, 12 AM — quietNov 6, 3 AM — quietNov 6, 6 AM — quietNov 6, 9 AM — quietNov 6, 12 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Reddit 1Nov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 6 PM — quietNov 6, 9 PM — quietNov 7, 12 AM — quietNov 7, 3 AM — quietNov 7, 6 AM — quietNov 7, 9 AM — quietNov 7, 12 PM — quietNov 7, 3 PM — quietNov 7, 6 PM — quietNov 7, 9 PM — quietNov 8, 12 AM — quietNov 8, 3 AM — quietNov 8, 6 AM — quietNov 8, 9 AM — quietNov 8, 12 PM — quietNov 8, 3 PM — quietNov 8, 6 PM — quietNov 8, 9 PM — quietNov 9, 12 AM — quietNov 9, 3 AM — quietNov 9, 6 AM — quietNov 9, 9 AM — quietNov 9, 12 PM — quietNov 9, 3 PM — quietNov 9, 6 PM — quietNov 9, 9 PM — quietNov 10, 12 AM — quietNov 10, 3 AM — quietNov 10, 6 AM — quietNov 10, 9 AM — quietNov 10, 12 PM — quietNov 10, 3 PM — quietNov 10, 6 PM — quietNov 10, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 9 AM — quietToday, 12 PM — quietToday, 3 PM — quietToday, 6 PM — quiet 1–4
Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9Nov 10yesterdaynow · 8:25 PM ET
  1. 4

    Observers float 'Trump slump' as alternate explanation

    The Sydney Morning Herald notes that some media observers attribute the ratings decline to President Trump's slipping approval ratings, a reading Murdoch did not endorse, offering 'viewer fatigue' instead.

    1. 2 outlets Trump slump? Lachlan Murdoch cites ‘viewer fatigue’ as Fox ratings dive

      first by Sydney Morning Herald, 10d ago · also LA Times

      1 more headline
    • dcdeejay@mastodon.online

      Well..."viewer fatigue" is a fancy way of saying that after ten years, viewers are finally "tired of the bullshit". # USPol # politics https://www. cnn.com/2026/11/02/media/fox-n ews-ratings-drop-murdoch-trump-midterms

      dcdeejay@mastodon.onlineMastodon10d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch
    • europesays@pubeurope.com

      https://www. europesays.com/3348721/ Fox News ratings drop is due to ‘viewer fatigue,’ Murdoch says on eve of midterms # america # UnitedStates # UnitedStatesOfAmerica # US # USNews # USA # USANews

      europesays@pubeurope.comMastodon10d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    • CNN@c.im

      # CNN # News Fox News ratings drop is due to ‘viewer fatigue,’ Murdoch says on eve of midterms

      CNN@c.imMastodon10d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  2. 3

    Outlets note record FOX Corp revenue despite ratings drop

    Multiple outlets (Barrett Media, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, KRDO) report the story, highlighting that FOX Corp still delivered record quarterly revenue of $4.57 billion, up 22% year-over-year, despite the Fox News audience decline.

    1. 5 outlets Lachlan Murdoch: Fox's Decline Due To Viewer Fatigue

      first by Joe.My.God., 10d ago · also KRDO, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, Barrett Media

      4 more headlines
  3. 2

    Bloomberg details Murdoch's ratings comments ahead of midterms

    Bloomberg reports Murdoch's acknowledgment of the steep viewership decline and his 'viewer fatigue' explanation, framing it against the backdrop of the upcoming midterm elections.

    1. 1 outlet Lachlan Murdoch Blames Fox News Ratings Dip on ‘Viewer Fatigue’

      first by Bloomberg Markets, 10d ago

  4. background

    Murdoch tells earnings call ratings drop is 'viewer fatigue' — Speaking on FOX Corp.'s quarterly earnings call, CEO Lachlan Murdoch disclosed a 28% year-over-year decline in Fox News primetime ratings for October and said the audience is fatigued after an intense 2025 news cycle (the inauguration, Charlie Kirk's death, DOGE) rather than switching to competitors.

  5. 1

    FT reports Fox News ratings sliding as CNN, MS NOW gain ground

    The Financial Times reports a sharp drop in Fox News ratings heading into the US midterm elections, noting CNN and MS NOW are expanding their viewership in the same period.

    1. 2 outlets Fox News suffers sharp drop in ratings as US elections approach

      first by Financial Times, 10d ago · also FT

What people are saying 0 voices from 0 sites · best of 3 · verbatim