Here Are the Cable News Ratings for August 2025

The major news stories in August included the federal takeover of the nation’s capital and the Minnesota school shooting.

Outside of those stories, a quieter news month led to all three cable news networks recording month-to-month declines across the board. The networks all registered double-digit declines in the advertiser-coveted demo during total day.

However, Fox News continued as the highest-rated network in all of television during primetime in total viewers for the second consecutive month. The news network commanded 63% of the cable news share across total day and 65% in primetime with total viewers during the month.

Fox News

According to Nielsen Media Research, Fox News in August had 2.304 million total viewers in primetime and 237,000 viewers in the adults 25-54 demo. During total day, it had 1.448 million total viewers and 160,000 viewers in the demo.

Compared to its performance in July 2025, Fox News fell by -4% in total viewers and -8% in the A25-54 demo during primetime viewing hours. During total day, it was also down by -5% in total viewers and -13% in the demo when compared to the previous month.

Looking at Fox News’ performance against the same month in 2024, it was up by +1% in total viewers but down by -18% in the demo during prime. While in total day, it was also up by +1% in total viewers, but down by -16% in the demo. Fox News was the only network to record any year-over-year improvements in either of the observed dayparts.

The network finished June as the No. 1 cable network in total viewers and in second place in the demo during primetime. During total day, it was in first place in total viewers and fell to second place in the demo.

MSNBC

MSNBC finished as the second-most-watched cable news network in primetime and total day in total viewers in July, with 783,000 and 502,000 viewers, respectively. The network in the A25-54 demo had 72,000 viewers in primetime and 46,000 viewers during total day.

Compared to July, MSNBC was down -9% in total viewers and -11% in A25-54 during primetime. It also saw declines of -5% in total viewers and -12% in the demo during total day.

Looking at its performance in June 2024, MSNBC was down -57% in total viewers and -71% in the demo during primetime. It was down -51% in total viewers and -62% in the demo during total day. It is worth noting that August 2024 was a particularly busy news month on the presidential election front, which explains the sharp drops during this comparison.

MSNBC slid to third from second place during primetime and was also No. 3 in total viewers during total day. It dropped two spots to land at No. 19 in the demo tied with Bravo during primetime and finished in 13th place, up from 14th place, during total day.

CNN

During primetime in July, CNN had 444,000 total viewers and 78,000 A25-54 viewers. When looking at total day, the network had 333,000 total viewers and 53,000 demo viewers.

Compared to its performance in the previous month, CNN saw drops of -11% in total viewers and -15% in the demo during primetime. It decreased by -10% in total viewers and -15% in the demo during total day.

When looking at its performance to the same month in 2024 during primetime, it was down -59% in total viewers and -68% in the demo. In total day, CNN lost viewers by -46% and -57% in total viewers and the demo, respectively.

CNN finished as the No. 7 network, down from No.6 during primetime, and remained in fourth place in total day in total viewers. Its position in the demo was No. 16 in primetime, tied with ESPN 2, and fell to 11th place from eighth place during total day.

Looking at the June performance of the other news nets:

NewsNation – It had the fastest-growing cable network during total day for the month with +14% and +17% gains in total viewers and the demo, respectively. Cuomo remains the top program in total viewers and A25-54 with 151,000 and 13,000 viewers, respectively.
Fox Business – Finished ahead of CNBC during business day and market hours for the fourth straight month and had seven of the top ten business programs with total viewers. Kudlow remained the net’s top show in total viewers, with 298,000 viewers, and Making Money with Charles Payne took the top spot in the demo, with 15,000 viewers.
CNBC – Fast Money Halftime Report was the most-watched program in total viewers with 163,000. It finished in first place, tied with Squawk on the Street, in the A25-54 demo with 45,000 viewers.
Newsmax – Rob Schmitt Tonight was the net’s top show in total viewers with 350,000 total viewers, and Finnerty was in the pole position in the demo with 25,000 viewers, respectively.

PROGRAMMING

Fox News – The Five was the most-watched program in total viewers (3.479 million at 5 p.m. ET). It was also in first place in the advertiser-coveted demo of A25-54 with 345,000 viewers.
MSNBC – Its most-watched show in total viewers and the demo continued to be The Rachel Maddow Show (1.894 million and 177,000 viewers, respectively, at 9 p.m. ET).
CNN – Erin Burnett OutFront at 7 p.m. ET was the network’s top performer in total viewers, with 510,000, and in the A25-54 demo, CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip at 10 p.m. ET remained in first place with 106,000 viewers.

Among Total Viewers

The Five – Fox News (3,479,000)
Jesse Watters Primetime – Fox News -(3,062,000)
Gutfeld! – Fox News – (2,848,000)
Hannity – Fox News – (2,612,000)
Special Report with Bret Baier – Fox News – (2,550,000)
The Ingraham Angle – Fox News – (2,485,000)
The Will Cain Show – Fox News – (1,950,000)
The Rachel Maddow Show – MSNBC – (1,894,000)
Outnumbered – Fox News – (1,862,000)
The Faulkner Focus – Fox News – ( 1,820,000)
America’s Newsroom – Fox News – (1,790,000)
America Reports – Fox News – (1,716,000)
The Story with Martha MacCallum – Fox News (1,691,000)
Fox News @Night – Fox News – (1,518,000)
Fox & Friends – Fox News – (1,261,000)

Among Adults 25-54

The Five – Fox News – (345,000)
Gutfeld! – Fox News – (327,000)
Jesse Watters Primetime – Fox News – (302,000)
Hannity – Fox News – (271,000)
Special Report with Bret Baier – Fox News – (249,000)
The Ingraham Angle – Fox News – (236,000)
Fox News @Night – Fox News – (207,000)
Outnumbered – Fox News – (202,000)
The Will Cain Show – Fox News – (199,000)
America Reports – Fox News – (185,000)
The Rachel Maddow Show – MSNBC – (177,000) (tied)
The Faulkner Focus – Fox News – (177,000) (tied)
The Story with Martha MacCallum (171,000) (tied)
America’s Newsroom – Fox News – (171,000) (tied)
. Fox and Friends – Fox News – (148,000)

August 2025 Cable News Ratings (Nielsen Live+SD data):

PRIMETIME	Fox News	MSNBC	CNN
• Total Viewers:	2,304,000	783,000	444,000
• A25-54:	237,000	72,000	78,000

TOTAL DAY	Fox News	MSNBC	CNN
• Total Viewers:	1,448,000	502,000	333,000
• A25-54:	160,000	46,000	53,000

August 2025 Cable Ranker by Adweek

Aug’25 A25-54 Cable News Ranker by Adweek