Week of Nov. 24 Cable News Ratings: All Networks Down Thanksgiving Week
This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of November 24, 2025.
All three cable news networks suffered double-digit drops in both total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during Thanksgiving week as viewers opted for family time, shopping, and sports.
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of November 24, Fox News averaged 1.58 million total viewers and 129,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was down -26% in total viewers and -32% in the demo compared to the week prior (the week beginning November 17).
Fox News averaged 1.162 million total viewers and 97,000 A25-54 viewers in total day viewing. Based on its average in those measurements from the previous week, it was down -16% in total viewers and -20% in the demo.
Fox News remained in second place in total primetime viewership and dropped to fifth in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. In total day, it remained in first place in total viewers and in second place in the total day demo.
MS NOW averaged 718,000 total viewers and 59,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network was down -29% in total viewers and -34% in the demo compared to its average the week prior during primetime.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 492,000 total viewers and 44,000 demo viewers. The network fell by -24% in total viewers and -27% in the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior.
Among all basic cable networks, MS NOW slipped to fourth from third in total primetime viewers and dropped to No. 25 from No. 12, tied with BET. It also dropped to fourth from third in total viewers and to 16th from ninth in the total day demo, tied with Paramount.
CNN averaged 410,000 total primetime viewers and 60,000 A25-54 viewers in the demo during primetime for the week of November 24. The network was down -28% in total viewers and -42% in the demo compared to the previous week.
In total day, the network had 376,000 total viewers and 54,000 viewers in the demo. This resulted in decreases of -16% in total viewers and -26% in the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN dropped to 10th from fifth place in total viewers and from eighth to 24th in the demo during primetime. It slid to fifth from fourth place in total day among total viewers and to No. 12 from No. 4 in the demo, tied with HGTV.
When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago:
- During primetime, Fox News was down by -21% in total viewers and -46% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network saw decreases of -14% in total viewers and -40% in the demo—it was the only network to see a decrease in viewers in this year-over-year comparison.
- MS NOW was up +54% in total viewers and +59% in the demo. During total day, the network was up +42% in total viewers and +52% in the demo.
- In primetime, CNN grew by +38% in total viewers and +18% in the demo. During total day, it saw gains of +40% in total viewers and +32% in the demo.
PROGRAMMING:
Fox News had 11 out of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with The Five on top with 3.494 million total viewers at 5 p.m. ET. MS NOW was represented in the chart by four show slots, led by The Rachel Maddow Show at 9 p.m. ET on Mondays, which ranked No. 6 with 2.083 million total viewers.
The Five landed in the top spot in the Adults 25-54 demo, averaging 271,000 viewers at 5 p.m. ET. Fox News held 13 out of the 15 top spots in the demo, with MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show, airing at 9 p.m. ET on Mondays, taking fifth place with 211,000 demo viewers. CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown at 10 a.m. ET was the other non-Fox News show in the chart with 106,000 demo viewers in the final slot.
Prime Time
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,580,000 | 718,000 | 410,000 |
| • A25-54: | 129,000 | 59,000 | 60,000 |
Total Day
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,162,000 | 492,000 | 376,000 |
| • A25-54: | 97,000 | 44,000 | 54,000 |
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