Week of July 20 Cable News Ratings: Networks Have Down Week
This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of July 20, 2026.
All three cable networks reported week-to-week declines in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime and total day. The summer season and the lack of major political stories may have contributed to the viewership loss across all three networks.
Fox News remained the most-watched cable news network with 96 out of the top 100 cable newscasts.
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of July 20, Fox News averaged 2.28 million total viewers and 201,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was down -7% in total viewers and -14% in the demo compared to the week prior (the week beginning July 13).
During total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.434 million total viewers and 129,000 A25-54 viewers. Based on its average from the previous week’s measurements, the network declined by -3% in total viewers and -4% in the demo.
Fox News continued to rank first in total primetime viewership and slid one spot to second place in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. During total day, it also finished first in total viewers and in the total day demo.
MS NOW averaged 965,000 total viewers and 80,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network fell by -16% in total viewers and -23% in the demo compared to its primetime average the week prior.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 630,000 total viewers and 51,000 demo viewers. It was down -9% in total viewers and -16% in the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior.
Among all basic cable networks, MS NOW was second in total primetime viewers and dropped from 13th to 19th in the demo. It was also second in total viewers and 12th in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 668,00 total primetime viewers and 95,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for the week of July 20. The network was down -6% in total viewers and -16% in the demo compared to the previous week.
During total day, the network had 468,000 total viewers and 63,000 viewers in the demo. CNN fell by -2% in total viewers and -6% in the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN was fourth in total viewers and slid to 13th from 10th place in the demo during primetime. It was No. 3 in total day among total viewers and No. 9 in the demo.
When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago:
- During primetime, Fox News was down by -5% in total viewers and -13% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network posted losses of -3% in total viewers and -18% in the demo—the only network with declines within this yearly comparison.
- MS NOW was up by +7 in total viewers and +3% in the demo. During total day, the network was up +12% in total viewers and +2% in the demo.
- In primetime, CNN grew by +39% in total viewers and +7% in the demo. During total day, it rose by +30% in total viewers and +5% in the demo.
PROGRAMMING:
Fox News had 14 out of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with The Five on top with 3.277 million total viewers at 5 p.m. ET. MS NOW was represented in the chart by The Briefing with Jen Psaki, airing weeknights at 9 p.m. ET, with 1.231 million total viewers at No. 15.
The Five reclaimed the No. 1 position in the Adults 25-54 demo, averaging 306,000 viewers. Fox News held 14 of the 15 top spots in the demo, with CNN’s Friday night coverage of the White House Correspondents Dinner placing it in 14th with 129,000 demo viewers.
July 20, 2026 (Nielsen Big Data + Panel):
Prime Time
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 2,280,000 | 965,000 | 668,000 |
| • A25-54: | 201,000 | 80,000 | 95,000 |
Total Day
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,434,000 | 630,000 | 468,000 |
| • A25-54: | 129,000 | 51,000 | 63,000 |
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