Week of March 31 Cable News Ratings: MSNBC Has Its Most-Watched Week Since the Election

This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of March 31, 2025.

The new set of tariffs announced by President Donald Trump provided enough fodder for the cable news networks to ensure they didn’t suffer any viewership losses during primetime.

MSNBC was the biggest beneficiary as it had its most-watched week since Election Week last year.  The network enjoyed double-digit gains in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during total day. 

Fox News remained the most-watched news network for the week and beat all the broadcast networks during Wednesday’s coverage of Trump’s Rose Garden speech announcing the new tariffs. Meanwhile, CNN was the only network to lose viewers in either of the measured categories across both dayparts.

NETWORKS:

According to Nielsen live plus same-day data for the week of March 31 saw FNC average 2.802 million total viewers and 334,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was flat in total viewers and up +3% in the demo relative to the week prior.

Fox News averaged 1.745 million total viewers and 224,000 A25-54 viewers in total day viewing. Week-to-week it was flat in the former category and up +2% in the latter.

Fox News finished first in total primetime viewers and took second place in the primetime demo among all basic cable networks. In total day, it remained in first position in total viewers and reclaimed the top position in the demo.

MSNBC’s primetime lineup averaged 1.237 million total viewers and 113,000 A25-54 viewers for gains of +6% and +1%, respectively.

During total day, MSNBC averaged 701,000 total viewers and 69,000 demo viewers for respective gains of +12% and +17% in those measured categories.

Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC moved from fourth to third in total primetime viewers and was tied at No. 9 in the demo with the History Channel and TLC. During total day, the network remained in second place in total viewers and tied for eighth in the demo with Investigation Discovery.

CNN averaged 572,000 total primetime viewers and 114,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for week-to-week gains of +3% and +7% in those respective categories. In total day, the network had 449,000 total viewers and 76,000 demo viewers in the demo for a +6% in the former category, but a -1% dip in the latter.

In relation to all the cable networks, CNN jumped from ninth to fifth place in total viewers. The network also saw positive in the primetime demo, moving from No. 15 to No.8. During total day, it climbed from No. 5 to No. 3 in total viewers but slid from fifth to sixth place in the demo. 

When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago (the week of April 1):

• During primetime, Fox News was up by +47% in total viewers and +51% in the demo. During total day, the network saw gains of +40% in total viewers and +47% in the demo.
• MSNBC was up in total viewers by +16% and +28% in the demo. During total day, the network was down -10% in both total viewers and the demo.
•  In primetime, CNN saw gains of +16% in total viewers and +34% in the demo. During total day, it saw gains of +3% in total viewers and +6% in the demo.

PROGRAMMING:

Fox News held 13 out of the Top 15 spots for the most-watched cable news shows of the week among total viewers, with The Five (4.193 million viewers at 5 p.m. ET) leading the way. The Five has now surpassed 4 million total viewers for its 20th consecutive week, setting a cable news viewership record. MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show (2.074 million viewers at 9 p.m. ET) finished inside the Top 10 at No. 9.

The Five (459,000 viewers at 5 p.m. ET) also led the Top 15 chart for the Adults 25-54 demo. Fox News occupied 14 out of 15 slots, with The Rachel Maddow Show (178,000 viewers at 9 p.m. ET) taking the final spot.

Prime Time

	Fox News	MSNBC	CNN
• Total Viewers:	2,802,000	1,237,000	572,000
• A25-54:	334,000	113,000	114,000

Total Day

	Fox News	MSNBC	CNN
• Total Viewers:	1,745,000	701,000	449,000
• A25-54:	224,000	69,000	76,000

Week 3-31-25 Cable Ranker by Adweek on Scribd