How have TV news networks like CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News been affected by the post-election period and Trump's return to office?

Media networks have experienced a significant viewership surge post-election, with Fox News reporting its highest-rated January in cable news history with 2.8 million average primetime viewers, capturing nearly 70% of cable viewership. Meanwhile, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow returned to a five-nights-a-week schedule (up from just Mondays), averaging 1.7 million viewers in her first week back, with some days exceeding 2 million. However, neither CNN nor MSNBC have fully recovered their pre-election audience levels yet. This pattern of viewership dip and recovery mirrors what happened after previous elections in 2016 and 2020. The networks aren't just delivering news but providing familiar faces to help viewers define order during chaotic political times.