This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of December 8, 2025.
The spotlight this week belonged to CNN, which was the only network to post across-the-board gains in primetime and total day. In addition, the network experienced double-digit growth during primetime in the prized Adults 25-54 demo.
Meanwhile, Fox News, which remained the most-watched cable network across total day for the 49th consecutive week, was the only network not to see any total viewer gains during primetime, and MS NOW was the only network with Adults 25-54 declines during primetime and total day.
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According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of December 8, Fox News averaged 2.003 million total viewers and 179,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was down -4% in total viewers but up +7% in the demo compared to the week prior (the week beginning December 1).
Fox News averaged 1.311 million total viewers and 113,000 A25-54 viewers in total day viewing. Based on its average for those measurements from the previous week, it dipped by -5% in total viewers but grew by +1% in the demo.
Fox News remained in second place in total primetime viewership and moved from third to second in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. In total day, it remained in first place in total viewers and in second place in the total day demo.
MS NOW averaged 975,000 total viewers and 79,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network was up +1% in total viewers but declined by -1% in the demo compared to its average the week prior during primetime.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 598,000 total viewers and 49,000 demo viewers. This translated to losses of -2% in total viewers and the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior.
Among all basic cable networks, MS NOW continued to hold firm in third place in total primetime viewers but dropped from No. 13 to No. 17 in the demo. It was also third in total viewers and slipped from 12th to 13th in the total day demo, tied with HGTV.
CNN averaged 527,000 total primetime viewers and 80,000 A25-54 viewers in the demo during primetime for the week of December 8. The network was up +6% in total viewers and +14% in the demo compared to the previous week.
In total day, the network had 412,000 total viewers and 55,000 viewers in the demo. This resulted in gains of +4% in total viewers and +6% in the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN moved from sixth to fifth place in total viewers and jumped from 18th to 16th in the demo during primetime. It remained in fifth place in total day among total viewers but dropped to No. 11 from No. 10 in the demo.
