FOX News is one of the most-watched cable news networks in the United States, with a loyal following of viewers who tune in regularly to stay informed about current events.
However, there has been much discussion about the demographics of FOX News users, with some suggesting that the network primarily attracts older, white viewers.
A recent survey reveals some interesting findings about the demographics of FOX News viewers.
Let’s dive in.
Check also: CNN audience demographics.
30 Quick Demographic Facts About Fox News
- Fox News is the most-watched cable news network in the United States.
- Fox News has a predominantly older audience, with nearly half of its users being 50 or older.
- Americans ages 65 and older account for around four-in-ten of those who say their main source of political news is Fox News.
- People who cite Fox News as their main source of political news are more likely to be white than U.S. adults overall.
- Fox News draws roughly equal levels of audience across white, black, and Hispanic adults.
- Fewer Asian Americans surveyed said they got political news from Fox News in the past week.
- Fox News viewers give President Trump a 64% approve-34% disapprove rating.
- Fox News viewers are more likely to be male than female.
- The majority of Fox News viewers identify as Republicans.
- The majority of Fox News viewers are married than single.
- The majority of Fox News viewers have a high school education or less.
- The majority of Fox News viewers are retired.
- The majority of Fox News viewers live in a rural area than an urban area.
- The majority of Fox News viewers have an income of $75,000 or less.
- The majority of Fox News viewers are conservative than liberal.
- The majority of Fox News viewers are Protestant than any other religious affiliation.
- The majority of Fox News viewers own a gun.
- The majority of Fox News viewers have voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.
- The majority of Fox News viewers believe that the media is biased against Trump.
- The majority of Fox News viewers believe that climate change is not caused by human activity.
- The majority of Fox News viewers believe that immigration is a threat to the United States.
- The majority of Fox News viewers believe that the Black Lives Matter movement is harmful to society.
- The majority of Fox News viewers believe that the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) should be repealed.
- The majority of Fox News viewers believe that the United States should prioritize its own interests over those of other countries.
- The majority of Fox News viewers believe that the United States is the greatest country in the world.
- The majority of Fox News viewers have a negative view of the Black Lives Matter movement.
- The majority of Fox News viewers have a negative view of the #MeToo movement.
- The majority of Fox News viewers have a negative view of the LGBTQ+ community.
- The majority of Fox News viewers have a negative view of the Muslim community.
- The majority of Fox News viewers have a positive view of the Republican Party.
This is quite different from the demographics of BBC. Check the demographics of BBC Radio 4 here.
Gender Demographics
FOX News is one of the most watched cable news channels in the United States. According to a Statista survey conducted in April 2017, FOX News had a total of 2.4 million daily viewers.
The survey also showed that the majority of FOX News viewers were male.
- 56% of male respondents stated that they watch FOX News
- 44% of female respondents stated that they watch FOX News
The same survey also showed that FOX News viewers tend to be older than viewers of other cable news channels. The median age of FOX News viewers was 65 years old.
However, it’s important to note that FOX News viewership has been declining in recent years. In 2020, the channel’s audience dropped by 32% compared to the previous year.
Check also: Broadcast TV target group demographics.
Age Demographics
FOX News is known for its conservative views and has been a popular news channel for many years. The age demographics of its viewers have been a topic of discussion for some time.
Here are the facts:
- The median age of FOX News viewers is 65 years old.
- As of April 2017, 57% of adults in the United States aged between 55 and 64 years old said that they watched FOX News, making viewers in this age category the cable news channel’s largest demographic.
- FOX News draws roughly equal levels of audience across White (44%), Black (47%) and Hispanic adults (41%). Among Asian Americans surveyed, fewer (29%) said they got political news from FOX in the past week.
- Broken down by age group, FOX News also skews older, commanding nearly half of users 50 and older.
Overall, FOX News has a predominantly older audience, with a significant portion of viewers aged 55 and older. Very different to the demographic stats for sports radio listeners.
Ethnicity Demographics
Here are some facts about the ethnicity demographics of Fox News viewers:
- 59% of Fox News employees are white.
- 18% of Fox News employees are Hispanic or Latino.
- 13% of Fox News employees are Black or African American.
Based on a January 2018 NBC/WSJ poll, here are some additional statistics:
- 34% of American adults who watch Fox News are white.
- 21% of American adults who watch MSNBC are white.
- People who cite Fox News as their main source of political news are more likely to be white than U.S. adults overall.
- Americans ages 65 and older account for around four-in-ten of those who say their main source is Fox News (37%), compared with 21% of all adults, according to the November survey.
These statistics suggest that Fox News has a predominantly white audience, both in terms of employees and viewership.
Here are the demographics of Radio News listeners.
Location Demographics
FOX News is a popular cable news channel in the United States that has a diverse audience.
Here are some location demographics of FOX News viewers:
- FOX News is the most-watched cable news network in the United States.
- FOX News has a strong viewership in the South and Midwest regions of the United States.
- FOX News has a smaller viewership in the Northeast and West regions of the United States.
- FOX News has significant viewership in rural areas compared to urban areas.
- FOX News has a larger viewership in states that voted for Republican presidential candidates in recent elections.
- FOX News has a smaller viewership in states that voted for Democratic presidential candidates in recent elections.
These location demographics provide insights into the geographic distribution of FOX News viewership in the United States. It suggests that FOX News has a strong following in conservative-leaning regions and rural areas of the country.
Check also: Cable TV – Cable Network viewer demographics.
Political Demographics
According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2017, Fox News viewership is heavily skewed towards those who identify as conservative or Republican. Here are some key political demographics of Fox News viewers:
- 39% of Fox News viewers identify as conservative, compared to 15% who identify as liberal and 24% who identify as moderate.
- 67% of Fox News viewers identify as Republican or lean towards the Republican Party, compared to 21% who identify as Democrat or lean towards the Democratic Party.
- Among those who identify as conservative, 84% say they trust Fox News for political news, compared to 11% who say they do not trust Fox News.
- Among those who identify as liberal, only 15% say they trust Fox News for political news, compared to 79% who say they do not trust Fox News.
It is worth noting that the survey was conducted in 2017, and political demographics may have shifted since then.
Another Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2019 found that among all U.S. adults, 43% say they trust Fox News for political and election news, while 40% say they distrust Fox News. This suggests that while Fox News has a significant base of support, it is not universally trusted.
Overall, the political demographics of Fox News viewers indicate that the network has a strong conservative and Republican-leaning audience.
State Demographics
According to a 2020 Pew Research Center survey, Fox News viewership is highest among white Americans, with 47% of white adults reporting that they get political news from Fox News. In contrast, only 29% of Asian Americans surveyed reported getting political news from Fox News.
When looking at age demographics, Fox News viewership skews older, with nearly half of users aged 50 and older. In comparison, MSNBC viewership is slightly younger, with 21% of Americans surveyed reporting that they watch MSNBC.
Regionally, Fox News viewership is highest in the South, with 40% of adults in the region saying they get political news from the network. The Midwest follows with 34%, the West with 32%, and the Northeast with 26%.
State Demographics – Summary
- 47% of white Americans get political news from Fox News
- 29% of Asian Americans get political news from Fox News
- Nearly half of Fox News users are aged 50 and older
- 40% of adults in the South get political news from Fox News
- Fox News viewership is highest in the South, followed by the Midwest, West, and Northeast
Income Demographics
FOX News has a reputation of being a news channel that caters to conservative viewers. A look at the income demographics of FOX News viewers reveals that a significant proportion of its audience comes from the high-income brackets.
- The median income of FOX News viewers is $66,000 per year, which is higher than the national median income of $62,843 per year.
- 30% of FOX News viewers earn over $100,000 per year, compared to 22% of the general population.
- Only 20% of FOX News viewers earn less than $30,000 per year, compared to 25% of the general population.
- FOX News viewers are more likely to have a college degree than the general population. 39% of FOX News viewers have a college degree, compared to 31% of the general population.
These income demographics suggest that FOX News viewers tend to be more affluent and educated than the average American.
Education Level Demographics
FOX News has a diverse audience, but it is known to have a higher percentage of viewers with less education than other news networks.
According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, the following are the education level demographics of FOX News viewers:
- 52% of those with a high school education or less turn to FOX News for their news
- 43% of those with some college education watch FOX News
- 36% of college graduates watch FOX News
- 31% of those who did postgraduate work watch FOX News
This means that FOX News is more likely to be watched by those with less formal education than other news networks.
It is worth noting that the education level demographics of FOX News viewers have remained relatively stable in recent years, with only slight fluctuations.
Main Target Group
Fox News is known for being a conservative news network, and its main target group is American conservatives. Here are some key demographics of Fox News viewers:
- 60% of American conservatives watch Fox News
- 29% of liberals nationwide watch Fox News
- 69% of respondents who picked Fox News as their primary source of political news are 50 or older
- 94% of Fox viewers “identify as or lean Republican” (Gallup study conducted in 2013)
- Fox News holds the majority of viewers aged 25-54, which is a key demographic
These numbers suggest that Fox News is primarily watched by older conservatives who identify as Republicans. However, it is worth noting that a significant number of liberals also tune in to Fox News, and the network also attracts viewers in the key 25-54 age demographic.
Source Links
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• https://www.npr.org/2019/03/07/700533632/fox-news-is-most-popular-tv-news-source-in-u-s-pew-survey-finds
• https://www.businessinsider.com/who-watches-fox-news-demographics-2017-4
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