This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of March 9, 2026.
Despite the war in the Middle East affecting the economy, viewers have been less glued to their screens as the conflict continues. This has contributed to double-digit declines in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo for all three cable news networks in the just-concluded week.
The switch from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time could have also affected viewership.
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of March 9, Fox News averaged 2.791 million total viewers and 285,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was down -10% in total viewers and -21% in the demo compared to the week prior (the week beginning March 2).
During total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.752 million total viewers and 176,000 A25-54 viewers. Based on its average from the previous week’s measurements, the network declined by -14% in total viewers and -20% in the demo.
Fox News ranked first in total primetime viewership and dropped to third from second in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. In total day, it finished in first place in total viewers and remained in second place in the total day demo.
MS NOW averaged 1.157 million total viewers and 122,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network was down by -15% in total viewers and -24% in the demo compared to its average the week prior during primetime.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 701,000 total viewers and 73,000 demo viewers. It was down -12% in total viewers and -20% in the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior.
Among all basic cable networks, MS NOW slipped to fourth place from second in total primetime viewers and finished 11th in the demo, down from sixth. It slid to No. 3 from No. 2 in total viewers and dropped two spots to No. 8, tied with ESPN2 in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 820,000 total primetime viewers and 149,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for the week of March 9. The network was down by -22% and -32% in the demo compared to the previous week.
During total day, the network had 592,000 total viewers and 98,000 viewers in the demo. CNN fell by -18% in total viewers and -27% in the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN dropped from fourth to fifth in total viewers and from fourth to eighth in the demo during primetime. It slid one spot to No. 4 in total day among total viewers and dropped two spots to fifth in the demo.
