Fox News primetime ratings for October dropped by 28%, a shocking development a month before a national election when news network ratings typically rise.

“Compared to October 2025, Fox News slipped by 28% in primetime viewers and 27% for the full day,” The Hollywood Reporter stated in a story published Wednesday. “The network’s adults 25-54 audience fell by more than 30%.”

The Bulwark’s Sonny Bunch said: “This is probably more revealing of GOP enthusiasm than every poll released thus far.”

The ratings slip for the Murdoch-owned cable flagship channel corresponds with President Donald Trump’s low approval ratings. The RealClearPolitics average of major polls shows the president with a 38.4% approval rating. Fox News reported Trump’s job approval at 36%, the lowest ever measured by the network.

His approval ratings range from a low of 34% in CNN polling to a high of 43% by RMG Research. Trump began his second term in 2025 with an average approval rating of 50.4%, according to RealClearPolitics.

Fox Continues to Lead Its Rivals

The good news for Fox is that it continues to hold solid ratings leads over rivals CNN and MS Now, as well as superior YouTube numbers. However, MSNBC and CNN posted year-over-year gains for the month.

Meanwhile, CNN reports that Fox News is providing less coverage to viewers of Trump’s rallies and speeches, even as its opinion hosts continue to back the president.

“Fox viewers have missed a lot of Trump action, so to speak,” CNN’s Brian Stelter and Andrew Kirell wrote in an analysis published Thursday. “The network aired live portions of just nine of his 24 speeches, according to CNN’s tally through Wednesday night.”

It’s all about the future, Stelter and Kirell said.

“The Murdochs are thinking about a post-Trump era and looking ahead to the 2028 presidential election — believing the network will be center stage as both the Republicans and Democrats choose nominees.”

Trump Upset by Fox’s Attention to El-Sayed

As for Trump, he continues to act as if he is the network’s programmer-in-chief.

One of his biggest complaints is that the network has given extensive coverage to Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a Democrat. Trump became particularly worked up after seeing Fox host Martha MacCallum’s “softball” interview with El-Sayed.

In a development that has to be particularly galling to Trump and Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, an El-Sayed campaign ad features Fox opinion host Jesse Watters making positive remarks about the Democratic candidate while expressing skepticism about Rogers.