Americans have had their fill of politics now that the election over, while many are taking a break from political news, according to a recent poll. However, given the nature of this past election and what could be a tumultuous 2025, this moratorium likely won’t last long.
A new Associated Press-NORC poll revealed that a significant chunk of Americans are experiencing political news fatigue, with two-thirds indicating they plan to limit their news consumption. This trend shows up in the form of declining TV ratings for political coverage, especially on networks like MSNBC and CNN.
This is not a partisan phenomenon. Both Democrats and Republicans are starting to tune out.
The poll, conducted in early December, found that about 7 in 10 Democrats say they are stepping back from political news. The percentage isn’t as high for Republicans, who have reason to celebrate Trump’s victory. Still, about 6 in 10 Republicans say they’ve felt the need to take some time off too, and the share for independents is similar.
The differences are far starker for the TV networks that have been consumed by political news.
After election night through Dec. 13, the prime-time viewership of MSNBC was an average of 620,000, down 54% from the pre-election audience this year, the Nielsen company said. For the same time comparison, CNN’s average of 405,000 viewers was down 45%.
At Fox News Channel, a favorite news network for Trump fans, the post-election average of 2.68 million viewers is up 13%, Nielsen said. Since the election, 72% of the people watching one of those three cable networks in the evening were watching Fox News, compared to 53% prior to election day.
This is not a new trend, according to the Associated Press, which noted that “A post-election slump for fans of the losing candidate is not a new trend for networks that have become heavily identified for a partisan audience.”
However, the report also noted that outlets like MSNBC “can take some solace in history. In previous years, network ratings bounce back when the depression after an election loss lifts.”
Several viewers criticized the hyperpartisanship in political reporting and expressed a desire for more balanced coverage. “You get a story but only part of a story,” one individual told the AP.
Another said that many news outlets “spent all their time talking about the election.”
He continued: “They made it so much of their focus that when the main event ends, why would people want to keep watching?”
One respondent told The Associated Press that left-leaning news outlets like MSNBC and others must focus more on the issues instead of fixating on President-elect Donald Trump.
As the report suggested, this is a normal occurrence after a presidential election – especially one as contentious as the 2024 race. America went through quite a bit during this season. Democrats weaponized the criminal justice system to prosecute Trump while also using the 14th Amendment to disqualify him from the ballot. President Joe Biden dropped out of the race after an abysmal debate performance that showcased his cognitive decline. Vice President Kamala Harris almost instantly became the nominee and was about as effective at campaigning as a screen door on a submarine. Then, there were the two assassination attempts against Trump.
No wonder people are worn out, right?
However, this break won’t last long. After a polarizing campaign season, the future will probably bring even more division. We can be sure that the media will do its level best to undermine the Orange Man What Is Bad™ in his second term in office, meaning there will be no shortage of controversy – fake or real.
On top of this, Americans are still dealing with inflation, a lack of jobs, and other economic woes that could continue to worsen before they improve. The world is still in turmoil with wars going on in Ukraine, Gaza, Yemen, and elsewhere. Additionally, there will likely be even more debates over immigration since we will finally have a president who plans to do something about the border crisis.
These issues, combined with persistent concerns over crime, education, and the culture war, will ensure that people will once again tune back into politics – and it won’t take too long. Trump will be inaugurated in less than a month. Once this happens, the new season will begin. One thing is for sure: The next four years will be anything but boring.