Here Are the Cable News Ratings for December 2025

The holiday season, typically a slow news period, led to month-to-month declines for all three networks in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo across primetime and total day. Fox News ended the final month of the year in its usual first-place position.

CNN saw the steepest declines of the three networks, falling by double digits with total viewers during primetime. There was some good news for MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), as it recorded an uptick in viewers across the board compared to December 2024.

 Fox News

According to Nielsen big data + panel, Fox News in December had 1.847 million total viewers in primetime and 159,000 viewers in the adults 25-54 demo. During total day, it had 1.263 million total viewers and 110,000 viewers in the demo.

Compared to its performance in November 2025, Fox News declined by -9% in total viewers and -14% in the A25-54 demo during primetime viewing hours. During total day, it also fell by -8% in total viewers and -11% in the demo when compared to the previous month. 

Looking at Fox News’ performance against the same month in 2024, it was down by -13% in total viewers and by -34% in the demo during primetime. In total day, it was down by -14% in total viewers and -38% in the demo—it was the only network to see declines within this yearly comparison.

The network finished December in second place among total viewers and was No. 4 in the demo during primetime. During total day, it remained in first place in total viewers and was the No. 2 network in the demo. 

MS NOW

MS NOW was in second place among the most-watched cable news networks in primetime and total day, with 874,000 and 565,000 total viewers, respectively, in December. The network in the A25-54 demo had 72,000 viewers in primetime and 47,000 viewers during total day. 

Compared to November, MS NOW was down -8% in total viewers and -18% in A25-54 during primetime. During total day it dropped by -6% in total viewers and -15% in the demo.

Looking at its performance in December 2024, MS NOW was up +62% in total viewers and +60% in the demo during primetime. It was also up +40% in total viewers and +34% in the demo during total day.

MS NOW remained in third during primetime and total day with total viewers. It finished No. 17, tied with HGTV in the demo during primetime, and ranked 16th in the demo during total day.

CNN

During primetime in December, CNN had 488,000 total viewers and 69,000 A25-54 viewers. When looking at total day, the network had 394,000 total viewers and 53,000 demo viewers.

Compared to the previous month, CNN was down -12% in total viewers and -31% in the demo during primetime. It also fell by -8% in total viewers and -24% in the demo during total day. 

When looking at its performance to the same month in 2024 during primetime, it was up by +45% in total viewers and +19% in the demo. In total day, CNN grew by +30% and +10% in total viewers and the demo, respectively. 

CNN finished in the No. 6 position during primetime, and in fifth in total day in total viewers. Its position in the demo was No. 19 in primetime, and it finished in 13th place during total day.

Looking at the October performance of the other news nets:

  • NewsNation – The network’s primetime viewership averaged 95,000 total viewers and 11,000 viewers in the demo, respectively. Cuomo remains the top program in total viewers and A25-54 with 167,000 and 15,000 viewers, respectively. 
  • Fox Business – Varney & Company took the top spot in total viewers with 279,000, while Kudlow finished in first place in the demo with 11,000 viewers. 
  • CNBC – Fast Money Halftime Report was the most-watched program in total viewers with 235,000, while Squawk on the Street took the top honors in the A25-54 demo with 55,000 viewers. In December, TVNewser visited the Fast Money studios at NASDAQ headquarters to attend a special edition of the show, which was broadcast with the show’s ardent fans present.
  • Newsmax – Rob Schmitt Tonight was the net’s top show in total viewers and the demo with 313,000 and 27,000 viewers, respectively.

PROGRAMMING

  • Fox News – The Five was the most-watched program in total viewers (3.480 million at 5 p.m. ET). Gutfeld! Took the top spot in the advertiser-coveted demo of A25-54 with 263,000 viewers.
  • MS NOW – The most-watched show in total viewers and the demo continued to be The Rachel Maddow Show (1.797 million and 165,000 viewers, respectively) at 9 p.m. ET on Mondays.
  • CNN’s The Arena with Kasie Hunt at 4 p.m. ET was the network’s top performer in total viewers, with 658,000, and in the A25-54 demo, with 90,000. 

Among Total Viewers 

  1. The Five – Fox News – (3,480,000)
  2. Jesse Watters Primetime – Fox News – (2,741,000)
  3. Gutfeld!  – Fox News – (2,517,000)
  4. Special Report with Bret Baier – Fox News – (2,501,000)
  5. Hannity – Fox News – (2,307,000) 
  6. The Ingraham Angle – Fox News  – (2,292,000)
  7. The Will Cain Show – Fox News – (1,995,000)
  8. The Rachel Maddow Show – MSNBC – (1,797,000)
  9. Outnumbered – Fox News – (1,738,000)
  10. America’s Newsroom – Fox News – (1,713,000)
  11. The Faulkner Focus – Fox News – ( 1,701,000)
  12. The Story with Martha MacCallum – Fox News (1,659,000)
  13. America Reports – Fox News – (1,642,000)
  14. Fox News @Night – Fox News – (1,392,000)
  15. Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace (5 p.m. ET) – Fox News – (1,262,000)

Among Adults 25-54 

  1. Gutfeld! – Fox News –  (263,000)
  2. The Five – Fox News – (257,000)
  3. Jesse Watters Primetime – Fox News – (226,000)
  4. Special Report with Bret Baier – Fox News – (205,000)
  5. The Ingraham Angle – Fox News – (192,000)
  6. Hannity – Fox News – (190,000)
  7. The Rachel Maddow Show – MSNBC – (165,000)
  8. The Will Cain Show – Fox News – (148,000)
  9. Outnumbered  – Fox News – (147,000)
  10. Fox News @Night – Fox News – (144,000)
  11. The Faulkner Focus – Fox News – (143,000)
  12. America Reports – Fox News – (138,000)
  13. America’s Newsroom – Fox News – (137,000)
  14. The Story with Martha MacCallum – Fox News – (133,000)
  15. Fox and Friends – Fox News – (115,000)

December 2025 Cable News Ratings  (Nielsen Big Data + Panel):

Fox News MS NOW CNN
• Total Viewers: 1,847,000 874,000   488,000
• A25-54: 159,000 72,000   69,000

Total Day

Fox News MS NOW CNN
• Total Viewers: 1,263,000 565,000   394,000
• A25-54: 110,000 47,000   53,000

Dec’25 Cable Ranker P25-54 BDP by Adweek

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