This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of September 14, 2026.
MS NOW and CNN finished the week with gains in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime and total day. MS NOW bounced back particularly strongly, posting double-digit growth across the board.
In addition, MS NOW defeated Fox News in the primetime demo, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on Thursday (09/17/2026), and The Rachel Maddow Show was the most-watched program during the 9 p.m. ET hour on Monday (09/14/2026). It also overtook CNN in the total day demo to land in second place.
Fox News remained the No. 1 cable news network, but it was the only one without any week-to-week gains in either measured category in either daypart.
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of Sept. 14, Fox News averaged 1.618 million total viewers and 147,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network slipped -9% in total viewers and -10% in the demo compared with the prior week (the week beginning September 7).
During total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.064 million total viewers and 104,000 A25-54 viewers. Based on its average from the previous week’s measurements, the network declined by -5% in total viewers and -1% in the demo.
Fox News remained in second place in total primetime viewership and dropped from No. 2 to No. 4 in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. During total day, it remained first in total viewers and second in the total day demo.
MS NOW averaged 914,000 total viewers and 81,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network gained +33% in total viewers and +47% in the demo compared with its primetime average the prior week.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 568,000 total viewers and 54,000 demo viewers. This represented a positive shift of +16% in total viewers and +26% in the demo compared with the network’s average the prior week.
Among all basic cable networks, MS NOW remained third in total primetime viewers and was 13th in the demo. It also ranked third in total viewers and finished in ninth place in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 552,000 total primetime viewers and 88,000 demo viewers. It grew by +13% in total viewers and +14% in the demo compared to the previous week.
During total day, the network had 375,000 total viewers and 53,000 viewers in the demo. For CNN, this was growth of +7% in total viewers and +8% in the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN reclaimed fourth place in total viewers and was 11th in the demo during primetime. It remained at No. 4 in total day among total viewers and was No. 10 in the demo.
When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago:
- During primetime, Fox News was down -39% in total viewers and -49% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network was down -40% in total viewers and -48% in the demo.
- MS NOW was up +7% in total viewers and +16% in the demo. During total day, the network recorded gains of +12% in total viewers and +23% in the demo.
- In primetime, CNN fell by -3% in total viewers but grew by +1% in the demo. During total day, it was down -6% in total viewers and -9% in the demo.
PROGRAMMING:
Fox News held 12 of the 15 spots among the week’s most-watched cable news shows, with The Five on top with 2.772 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 1.483 million total viewers at No. 8. The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, airing weeknights at 10 p.m. ET, had 1.195 million total viewers at No. 14. Meanwhile, The Briefing with Jen Psaki had 1.119 million total viewers in the No. 15 position, airing Tuesday to Friday at 9 p.m. ET.
The Five remained in the pole position in the Adults 25-54 demo, averaging 270,000 viewers. Fox News held 13 of the 15 top spots in the demo, with The Rachel Maddow Show averaging 130,000 viewers in 11th place and CNN’s CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, airing five nights a week at 10 p.m. ET, finishing with 117,000 viewers in 14th place.
September 14, 2026 (Nielsen Big Data + Panel):
Prime Time
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,618,000 | 914,000 | 552,000 |
| • A25-54: | 147,000 | 81,000 | 88,000 |
Total Day
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,064,000 | 568,000 | 375,000 |
| • A25-54: | 104,000 | 54,000 | 53,000 |
