Fox News Down 28% Year Over Year as MS NOW and CNN Rebound in October 2026

By Priya Raman

Fox News lost 28% of its primetime total viewers in October 2026 compared with October 2025, and it was the only cable network with year-over-year declines in both measured categories, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel data. The drop comes as MS NOW and CNN reversed two back-to-back months of losses and finished October on an upward swing in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo in both primetime and total day.

MS NOW also made recent history. It topped CNN in the demo during weekend live programming (7 a.m.–6 p.m. ET) for the first time in 14 years — since November 2012 — with 50,000 demo viewers to CNN's 48,000. The network also surpassed the Skydance-owned CNN in the total day demo, moving ahead by 2,000 additional demo viewers.

What does this change for media buyers and network sales teams? The demo story is no longer a single-network story: CNN now leads MS NOW in the primetime A25-54 race (107,000 vs. 95,000), while MS NOW owns the total day demo edge. Inventory that once priced on Fox News's demo dominance now faces a shrinking base on that network.

How steep are the Fox News declines?

Fox News drew 1.675 million total primetime viewers and 145,000 A25-54 viewers in October. In total day, it had 1.101 million total viewers and 98,000 in the demo.

Against September 2026, the network fell 2% in primetime total viewers and 7% in the primetime demo. Total day losses reached 1% in total viewers and 8% in the demo.

The year-over-year picture is harsher: primetime down 28% in total viewers and 36% in the demo; total day down 27% and 32%, respectively. It was the only cable network with year-over-year declines in both categories.

Fox News still holds rank, but with less margin. It finished second in primetime total viewers and fourth in the primetime demo. In total day, it remained first in total viewers and third in the demo.

How strong is the MS NOW rebound?

MS NOW finished second among news networks in total viewers, with 925,000 in primetime and 588,000 in total day. It posted 95,000 demo viewers in primetime and 62,000 in total day.

Month over month, primetime grew 10% in total viewers and 20% in the demo. Total day rose 8% and 19%.

Year over year, the gains widen: primetime up 13% in total viewers and 30% in the demo; total day up 17% and 38%.

Among all cable networks, MS NOW ranked fifth in primetime total viewers and third in total day. In the demo, it finished 14th in primetime and jumped from 11th to eighth in total day.

The Rachel Maddow Show remained the network's most-watched program, drawing 1.72 million total viewers and 184,000 demo viewers at 9 p.m. ET on Mondays.

What drove CNN's growth?

CNN posted 598,000 primetime total viewers and 107,000 A25-54 viewers in October. Total day delivered 402,000 total viewers and 60,000 in the demo.

Versus September, primetime grew 11% in total viewers and 19% in the demo. Total day rose 8% and 13%.

Year over year, CNN gained 19% in primetime total viewers and 39% in the primetime demo. Total day was up 4% in total viewers and 3% in the demo.

CNN ranked sixth among all cable networks in primetime total viewers and fifth in total day. In the demo, it climbed two spots to ninth in primetime and was also ninth in total day.

The Source with Kaitlan Collins led CNN in total viewers with 630,000. CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip topped the network in the demo with 131,000.

Which shows carried October?

The Five was the most-watched program on cable news, with 2.707 million total viewers at 5 p.m. ET, and it also led the A25-54 demo with 238,000.

The top 15 in total viewers broke down this way:

• The Five — Fox News (2,707,000)
• Jesse Watters Primetime — Fox News (2,344,000)
• Special Report with Bret Baier — Fox News (2,022,000)
• Gutfeld! — Fox News (1,983,000)
• The Ingraham Angle — Fox News (1,940,000)
• Hannity — Fox News (1,847,000)
• The Rachel Maddow Show — MS NOW (1,720,000)
• The Will Cain Show — Fox News (1,624,000)
• America's Newsroom — Fox News (1,433,000)
• Outnumbered — Fox News (1,410,000)
• The Story with Martha MacCallum — Fox News (1,406,000)
• The Faulkner Focus — Fox News (1,375,000)
• America Reports — Fox News (1,334,000)
• The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell — MS NOW (1,181,000)
• Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace — MS NOW (1,128,000)

In the A25-54 demo, The Five (238,000), Gutfeld! (191,000) and Jesse Watters Primetime (189,000) led the field. Hannity and The Rachel Maddow Show tied at 184,000 — the only non-Fox entry in the demo's top tier alongside CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip at 131,000.

Among the smaller news networks:

• NewsNation averaged 107,000 primetime total viewers and 13,000 demo viewers; Cuomo led with 183,000 and 28,000, respectively.
• Fox Business's top show was Kudlow, with 240,000 total viewers and 11,000 in the demo.
• CNBC's Fast Money Halftime Report drew 218,000 total viewers and 54,000 in the demo.
• Newsmax's Rob Schmitt Tonight pulled 360,000 total viewers and 18,000 in the demo.

Fox News still owns the top of the program rankings, but three consecutive months of losses against double-digit annual gains at both rivals means the demo race in November now carries real pricing consequences for advertisers.