A recent poll conducted by the Associated Press in early December reveals a significant shift in how Americans are consuming political news. The poll found that approximately 7 in 10 Democrats are stepping back from political news, a trend that is less pronounced among Republicans, who have reason to celebrate Trump’s victory. However, about 6 in 10 Republicans also reported feeling the need to take a break from political news, with a similar sentiment shared by independents.

The impact of this shift is starkly evident in the viewership numbers for major TV networks that have been heavily focused on political news. According to Nielsen, from election night through December 13, MSNBC's prime-time viewership averaged 620,000, a 54% decrease from its pre-election audience this year. Similarly, CNN saw a 45% drop in its average viewership, with numbers falling to 405,000 during the same period.

In contrast, Fox News Channel, a favorite among Trump supporters, experienced a 13% increase in its post-election average viewership, reaching 2.68 million. Since the election, 72% of the evening viewers of these three major cable networks were tuning into Fox News, compared to 53% prior to election day. This data underscores the varying responses to political news consumption across different segments of the American population.