This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of Aug. 10, 2026.
CNN was the only cable news network to finish the week with gains in one of the weekly measured categories, growing in the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime for the just-concluded week.
The final few weeks of the unofficial summer season and the slow news period may be taking a toll on the three networks, as CNN joined its peers in losing total viewers during primetime and total day, as well as in the demo during total day. Interestingly, all three cable news networks saw a -6% slide in total viewers during total day.
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According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of Aug. 10, Fox News averaged 2.064 million total viewers and 188,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network fell by -7% in total viewers and -11% in the demo compared to the week prior (the week beginning August 3).
During total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.326 million total viewers and 120,000 A25-54 viewers. Based on its average from the previous week’s measurements, the network declined by -6% in total viewers and -12% in the demo.
Fox News continued to rank first in total primetime viewership and finished in third place in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. During total day, it also finished first in total viewers and was No. 3 in the total day demo.
MS NOW averaged 924,000 total viewers and 85,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network was down -7% in total viewers and -17% in the demo compared to its primetime average the week prior.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 584,000 total viewers and 57,000 demo viewers. It was down -6% in total viewers and -12% in the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior.
Among all basic cable networks, MS NOW slipped from second to third, tied with NFL Network, in total primetime viewers and finished 17th in the demo. It was second in total viewers and 11th in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 624,000 total primetime viewers and 115,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for the week of Aug. 10. The network fell by -6% in total viewers but saw a +1% lift in the demo compared to the previous week.
During total day, the network had 443,000 total viewers and 68,000 viewers in the demo. CNN saw its performance decrease by -6% in total viewers and in the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN finished seventh in total viewers and 10th in the demo during primetime. It slid from No. 3 to No. 4 in total day among total viewers and was No. 6 in the demo.
