This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of June 29, 2026.
Viewers tuned in to Fox News and CNN for America 250 coverage, as both networks finished the week with positive movement in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime and total day.
The Independence Day celebration coverage by the two networks drew more viewers than they would have on a typical Saturday. Fox News had the most viewers throughout the day, peaking at 5.7 million viewers and 701,00 demo viewers during President Donald Trump’s speech.
Here is how the networks fared during total day, primetime, and during President Trump’s speech on Independence Day.
Total Day
Fox News: 2.3 million total viewers; 262,000 A25-54 viewers
CNN: 626,000 viewers; 110,000 A25-54 viewers
MS NOW: 368,000 viewers; 38,000 A25-54 viewers
Primetime
Fox News: 3.5 million viewers; 357,000 A25-54 viewers
CNN: 1.3 million viewers; 254,000 A25-54 viewers
MS NOW: 326,000 viewers; 24,000 A25-54 viewers
President Trump’s speech
Fox News: 5.7 million viewers; 701,000 A25-54 viewers
CNN: 1.3 million viewers; 337,000 A25-54 viewers
MS NOW: 367,000 viewers; 51,000 A25-54 viewers
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of June 29, Fox News averaged 2.48 million total viewers and 220,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network grew +12% in total viewers and +18% in the demo compared to the week prior (the week beginning June 22).
During total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.618 million total viewers and 153,000 A25-54 viewers. Based on its average from the previous week’s measurements, the network was up +12% in total viewers and +21% in the demo.
Fox News remained in first place in total primetime viewership and was also tops in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. During total day, it continued to be No. 1 in total viewers and moved to first place in the total day demo, tied with ESPN.
MS NOW averaged 927,000 total viewers and 79,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network declined by -10% in total viewers and -8% in the demo compared to its primetime average the week prior.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 596,000 total viewers and 57,000 demo viewers. It was down -8% in total viewers and -3% in the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior—the only network to lose viewers in both categories across the two measured dayparts.
