This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of September 28, 2026.
MS NOW finished the week as the only cable news network to record a gain in one of the measured demographics. The network had double-digit growth in the Adults 25-54 demo during total day, the lone bright spot across all measurements. The Versant network cemented its position as the No. 2 network in the demo during total day, at least this week.
On the other side, CNN was the only network to finish with losses across the board.
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of Sept. 28, Fox News averaged 1.631 million total viewers and 140,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was down -2% in total viewers and -6% in the demo compared with the prior week (the week beginning September 21).
During total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.07 million total viewers and 94,000 A25-54 viewers. Based on its average from the previous week’s measurements, the network was flat in total viewers and down -4% in the demo.
Fox News remained in second place in total primetime viewership and slipped from No. 4 to No. 5 in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. During total day, it remained first in total viewers and dropped from second to third in the total day demo.
MS NOW averaged 917,000 total viewers and 89,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network was down by -1% in total viewers and the demo compared with its primetime average the prior week.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 575,000 total viewers and 62,000 demo viewers. It was down -1% in total viewers but had a double-digit gain of +13% 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 15th in the demo. It also ranked third in total viewers and finished in eighth place in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 554,000 total primetime viewers and 97,000 demo viewers. It was down by -7% in total viewers and -1% in the demo compared to the previous week.
During total day, the network had 366,000 total viewers and 52,000 viewers in the demo. For CNN, these were declines of -7% in total viewers and the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN dropped from fourth to seventh place in total viewers and was 11th in the demo during primetime, tied with HGTV. It remained at No. 4 in total day among total viewers and was No. 13 in the demo.
When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago:
- During primetime, Fox News was down -33% in total viewers and -43% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network was down -30% in total viewers and -36% in the demo.
- MS NOW was up +3% in total viewers and +2% in the demo. During total day, the network gained +11% in total viewers and +32% in the demo—the only network with gains within this yearly comparison.
- In primetime, CNN was up by +4% in total viewers and +15% in the demo. During total day, it fell by -7% in total viewers and -13% 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 2.621 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 1.57 million total viewers at No. 8. The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, airing weeknights at 10 p.m. ET, had 1.199 million total viewers at No. 14, and The Briefing with Jen Psaki, airing Tuesday to Friday at 9 p.m., was in the No. 15 position, with 1.15 million total viewers.
The Five remained on top in the Adults 25-54 demo, averaging 233,000 viewers. Fox News held 11 of the 15 top spots in the demo, with MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show averaging 145,000 viewers, landing at No. 8. The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell finished at No. 11 with 126,000 demo viewers. CNN was represented by CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, which airs five nights a week at 10 p.m. ET and finished in 10th place with 127,000 viewers, and The Source with Kaitlan Collins, which airs weeknights at 9 p.m. ET, finishing in 15th place with 111,000 demo viewers.
September 28, 2026 (Nielsen Big Data + Panel):
Prime Time
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,631,000 | 917,000 | 554,000 |
| • A25-54: | 140,000 | 89,000 | 97,000 |
Total Day
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,070,000 | 575,000 | 366,000 |
| • A25-54: | 94,000 | 62,000 | 52,000 |
