Here Are the Cable News Ratings for October 2026

MS NOW and CNN reversed fortunes as both networks finished October on an upward swing in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime and total day. This uplift comes after two back-to-back months of viewership losses.

MS NOW also made recent history, topping CNN in the demo during weekend live programming (7 a.m.-6 p.m. ET) for the first time in 14 years, since November 2012. MS NOW had 50,000 vs. CNN’s 48,000 demo viewers.

The network also surpassed CNN in the total day demo, moving ahead of the Skydance-owned channel courtesy of 2,000 additional demo viewers.

Meanwhile, Fox News had its third consecutive month of viewership losses in both measured categories during both dayparts.

Fox News

According to Nielsen Big Data + Panel, Fox News had 1.675 million total viewers in primetime and 145,000 viewers in the adults 25-54 demo in October. During total day, it had 1.101 million total viewers and 98,000 viewers in the demo.

Compared to its September 2026 performance, Fox News was down 2% in total viewers and 7% in the A25-54 demo during primetime. In total day, the network fell 1% in total viewers and 8% in the demo compared with the previous month.

Looking at Fox News’ performance against the same month in 2025, it declined by 28% in total viewers and 36% in the demo during primetime. While in total day, it was down by 27% in total viewers and 32% in the demo—the only cable network with year-over-year declines in both measured categories.

The network finished October in second place among total viewers and was fourth in the demo during primetime. During total day, it remained in first place in total viewers and was No. 3 in the demo.

MS NOW

MS NOW finished second among news networks in total viewers in primetime and total day, with 925,000 and 588,000 viewers, respectively, in October. In the A25-54 demo, the network had 95,000 viewers in primetime and 62,000 during total day.

Compared to September, MS NOW was up 10% in total viewers and 20% in the A25-54 demo during primetime. During total day, it also had increases of 8% in total viewers and 19% in the demo.

Looking at its performance in October 2025, MS NOW was up 13% in total viewers and 30% in the demo during primetime. It was also up 17% in total viewers and 38% in the demo during total day.

MS NOW was the No. 5 cable network during primetime and No. 3 during total day among total viewers. It finished 14th in the demo during primetime and jumped from 11th to eighth during total day.

CNN

In October primetime, CNN had 598,000 total viewers and 107,000 A25-54 viewers. Looking at total day, the network had 402,000 total viewers and 60,000 demo viewers.

Compared to the previous month, CNN grew by 11% in total viewers and 19% in demo viewers during primetime. It was up by 8% in total viewers and 13% in the demo during total day.

When looking at its performance to the same month in 2025 during primetime, CNN had gains of 19% in total viewers and 39% in the demo. It was also up 4% during total day and 3% in the demo.

CNN finished sixth in primetime and fifth in total day in total viewers among all cable networks. In the demo, it finished up two spots to ninth in primetime and was also ninth in total day.

Looking at the October performance of the other news nets:

NewsNation — The network’s primetime viewership averaged 107,000 total viewers and 13,000 demo viewers. Cuomo was the top show for the network in total viewers and the demo with 183,000 and 28,000 viewers, respectively.
Fox Business — Kudlow was the network’s top show in total viewers with 240,000 and in the demo with 11,000 viewers.
CNBC — Fast Money Halftime Report was the most-watched program in total viewers, with 218,000, as well as in the A25-54 demo, with 54,000 viewers.
Newsmax — Rob Schmitt Tonight was the network’s top show in total viewers with 360,000, and the Adults 25-54 demo with 18,000 viewers.

Programming

Fox News — The Five was the most watched program in total viewers with 2.707 million at 5 p.m. ET. It also led the advertiser-coveted A25-54 demo with 238,000 viewers.
MS NOW — The most-watched show in total viewers and the demo continued to be The Rachel Maddow Show with 1.72 million and 184,000 viewers, respectively, at 9 p.m. ET on Mondays.
CNN — The Source with Kaitlan Collins was No. 1 with total viewers having 630,000 viewers. CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip was the network’s top performer in the A25-54 demo with 131,000 viewers.