This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of October 26, 2026.
The week before the midterm elections, MS NOW emerged as the only cable network that finished with gains in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime and the total day.
Meanwhile, Fox News left the week with good news, as it was the only network with double-digit growth in one of the measured demographics.
On the programming front, MS NOW won the primetime demo on Monday, Oct. 26. CNN took first place in the primetime demo on Saturday, October 31, as well as between 6 and 8 p.m. ET, and on Sunday, Nov. 1, it was in first place in the demo between 12 and 4 p.m. ET.
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen Big Data + Panel, for the week of Oct. 26, Fox News averaged 1.628 million total viewers and 154,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was down -7% in total viewers but grew by +10% in the demo compared with the prior week (the week beginning Oct. 19).
During total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.088 million total viewers and 101,000 A25-54 viewers. Based on the previous week’s average, the network saw declines of -6% in total viewers and -2% in the demo.
Fox News remained second in total primetime viewership and fourth in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. During total day, it remained first in total viewers and moved from third to second place in the total day demo.
MS NOW averaged 998,000 total viewers and 116,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. This represented gains of +5% in total viewers and the demo compared with its prior-week primetime average.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 622,000 total viewers and 70,000 demo viewers. It was up by +2% in total viewers and +4% in the demo compared with the network’s average the prior week.
Among all basic cable networks, MS NOW continued to be in third in total primetime viewers and remained in sixth in the demo. It ranked third in total viewers and finished sixth in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 618,000 total primetime viewers and 111,000 demo viewers. It was down by -2% in total viewers and -5% in the demo compared to the previous week.
During total day, the network had 424,000 total viewers and 64,000 demo viewers. For CNN, total viewers were flat, and the demo was down -2% during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN slid from fifth to sixth in total viewers and was seventh in the demo during primetime. It remained at No. 4 in total day among total viewers and moved from eighth to seventh in the demo.
When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago:
- During primetime, Fox News was down -23% in total viewers and -20% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network was down -24% in total viewers and -25% in the demo–the only network with declines within this yearly comparison.
- MS NOW was up +30% in total viewers and +100% in the demo. During total day, the network gained +19% in total viewers and +56% in the demo.
- In primetime, CNN was up by +40% in total viewers and +85% in the demo. During total day, it was up by +13% in total viewers and +14% 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 2.74 million total viewers at 5 p.m. ET. MS NOW was represented in the chart by the 9 p.m. ET airing of The Briefing with Jen Psaki, with 1.242 million total viewers at No. 13. The 5 p.m. ET edition of Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace ranked 14th with 1.217 million total viewers, and the final spot belonged to The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell airing weeknights at 10 p.m. ET, averaging 1.204 million viewers.
Fox News held 11 of the 15 top spots in the Adults 25-54 demo, with The Five in the No. 1 position with 248,000 viewers. MS NOW’s The Briefing with Jen Psaki was in eighth place with 142,000 demo viewers. The other MS NOW programs in the top 15 were The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell averaging 134,000 viewers to take 10th place, and All In with Chris Hayes airing weeknights at 8 p.m. ET, with 132,000 demo viewers at No. 12. Finally, CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, which airs five nights a week at 10 p.m. ET, was at No. 9 with 139,000 viewers.
October 26, 2026 (Nielsen Big Data + Panel):
Prime Time
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,628,000 | 998,000 | 618,000 |
| • A25-54: | 154,000 | 116,000 | 111,000 |
Total Day
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,088,000 | 622,000 | 424,000 |
| • A25-54: | 101,000 | 70,000 | 64,000 |
![Image of CNN Election Center on Tuesday night. [Left to right: CNN Anchors Jake Tapper, Dana Bash and Kaitlan Collins]](https://static-www.adweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/2000557_0065-e1793995551946.jpg?w=652)
