Below are the cable news ratings for the third quarter of 2026.
The summer period was not kind to all the cable news networks, as hot, sunny weather combined with a slow news period led to quarter-to-quarter declines in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime and total day.
Fox News, MS NOW, and CNN finished with double-digit losses in both measured categories across the two observed dayparts.
Despite this, Fox News remained the most-watched cable network during this period. It hopes to carry that momentum into the last quarter, which will be sports-heavy programming-wise but, on the news front, will include consequential midterm elections.
Fox News Channel
According to Nielsen big data + panel, Fox News averaged 2.064 million total primetime viewers and 183,000 Adults 25-54 viewers in Q3 2026. During total day, Fox News had 1.321 million total viewers and 121,000 demo viewers.
Compared to the second quarter, Fox News was down -17% in total viewers and -20% in the demo during primetime. When looking at total day, it was also down by -16% and -19% in total viewers and the demo, respectively.
Looking at Fox News’ performance against the same quarter in 2025, total viewers were down -17%, and the demo was down -25% during primetime. In total day, it also fell -16% in total viewers and -24% in the demo, and it was the only network in this yearly comparison to record declines.
Fox News finished the quarter in first place among all cable networks during primetime in total viewers and ranked No. 2 in the demo. During total day, Fox News was again on top in total viewers and finished in second place in the demo.
MS NOW
During Q3 2026, MS NOW averaged 933,000 total primetime viewers and 84,000 primetime demo viewers. During total day, MS NOW had 592,000 total viewers and 56,000 A25-54 viewers.
When looking at MS NOW’s performance vs. the second quarter in 2026, it was down in total viewers and the demo by -12% and -21%, respectively, during primetime. During total day, the network was also down by -10% in total viewers and -16% in the demo.
Looking at its performance vs. the third quarter of 2025, MS NOW was up +16% in total viewers and +27% in the demo during primetime. It was also up +20% in total viewers and +37% in the demo during total day—the only network with gains in both dayparts within this yearly comparison.
MS NOW remained in third place in total viewers and was 16th in the demo. During total day, MS NOW moved to second place from third in total viewers and remained in 10th place in the demo.
