Fox News leads cable news ratings despite viewership declines

Cable news viewership saw varying trends in September. Fox News maintained its position as the most-watched network in total viewers, though it experienced significant declines compared to the previous year. In primetime, Fox News averaged approximately 1.72 million viewers, a 32% decrease from September 2025. Its performance in the key Adults 25-54 demographic also saw a sharp decline.

MS NBC News showed growth in several categories compared to the previous year. In primetime, the network averaged 839,000 viewers, up 3.6% from a year earlier, and saw a 16% increase in the 25-54 demographic during the third quarter. CNN reported mixed results, with primetime viewership at 539,000, a slight decrease of 0.7% from 2025, while showing growth in the 25-54 demographic during the third quarter.

Individual programming highlights included Fox News’ ‘The Five’, which was the top-rated cable news show in September, averaging 2.79 million viewers.