This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of October 12, 2026.
Fox News, MS NOW, and CNN finished the week with upward movement in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime and total day.
CNN moved past MS NOW to reclaim the No. 2 spot during total day. It was also the only network with double-digit gains in the advertiser-coveted demo during the two dayparts.
On the programming front, Fox News’ The Five retook its first-place position from MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show in the Adults 25-54 demo. MS NOW’s Monday-only 9 p.m. ET show was also the top program in its timeslot in both measured categories. In addition, on Thursday, Oct. 15, MS NOW was the most-watched cable news network in the demo during primetime.
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of Oct. 12, Fox News averaged 1.724 million total viewers and 157,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was up +8% in total viewers and in the demo compared to the prior week (the week beginning Oct. 5).
During total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.1 million total viewers and 98,000 A25-54 viewers. Based on its average from the previous week’s measurements, the network recorded gains of +3% in total viewers and +4% in the demo.
Fox News remained in third place in total primetime viewership and jumped two spots to fourth in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. During total day, it remained first in total viewers and was in fourth place in the total day demo.
MS NOW averaged 927,000 total viewers and 93,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. This represented gains of +3% in total viewers and +6% in the demo compared to its primetime average the prior week.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 595,000 total viewers and 60,000 demo viewers. It grew by +4% in total viewers and +5% in the demo compared to the network’s average the prior week.
Among all basic cable networks, MS NOW remained in fifth place in total primetime viewers and rose by two to land in 13th in the demo. It also ranked third in total viewers and ninth in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 628,000 total primetime viewers and 115,000 demo viewers. It was up by +9% in total viewers and +15% in the demo compared to the previous week.
During total day, the network had 420,000 total viewers and 68,000 viewers in the demo. For CNN, it grew by +7% in total viewers and +21% in the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN remained in sixth place in total viewers and rose from 11th to seventh in the demo during primetime. It was No. 5 in total day among total viewers and eighth in the demo.
When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago:
- During primetime, Fox News was down -26% in total viewers and -31% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network was down -28% in total viewers and -32% in the demo—the only network with declines within this yearly comparison.
- MS NOW was up +13% in total viewers and +48% in the demo. During total day, the network gained +15% in total viewers and +40% in the demo.
- In primetime, CNN was up by +19% in total viewers and +44% in the demo. During total day, it was up by +8% in total viewers and +17% in the demo.
PROGRAMMING:
Fox News held 12 of the 15 spots among the week’s most-watched cable news shows, with The Five in first place with 2.763 million total viewers at 5 p.m. ET. MS NOW was represented in the chart by Monday’s 9 p.m. ET airing of The Rachel Maddow Show, with 1.725 million total viewers at No. 7. The 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET editions of Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace took the No. 14 and 15 spots, respectively, with 1.167 million and 1.165 million total viewers.
Fox News held 10 of the 15 top spots in the demo, with The Five moving back to the No. 1 position in the Adults 25-54 demo, with 245,000 viewers. MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show was in seventh place with 152,000 demo viewers. The other two MS NOW programs in the top 15 were The Weeknight, airing five nights a week at 7 p.m., coming in 10th place with 126,000 viewers, and The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, airing weeknights at 10 p.m. ET, averaging 125,000 viewers to take the No. 13 position. CNN had CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, which airs five nights a week at 10 p.m. ET, at No. 9 with 143,000 viewers, and The Source with Kaitlan Collins, which airs weeknights at 9 p.m. ET, in 12th place with 125,000 demo viewers.
October 12, 2026 (Nielsen Big Data + Panel):
Prime Time
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,724,000 | 927,000 | 628,000 |
| • A25-54: | 157,000 | 93,000 | 115,000 |
Total Day
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,100,000 | 595,000 | 420,000 |
| • A25-54: | 98,000 | 60,000 | 68,000 |
