Week of Oct. 20 Cable News Ratings: CNN Sees Demo Gains During Total Day

This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of October 20, 2025.

Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN experienced viewership losses in primetime and total day for the just-concluded week.

CNN can take solace in the fact that it was the only network with week-to-week growth in at least one of the measured categories, as it saw gains in the Adults 25-54 demo during total day. Meanwhile, MSNBC had the biggest percentage decline in total viewers during primetime. Fox News had its 42nd consecutive week leading all of cable television during total day.

NETWORKS:

According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of October 20, Fox News averaged 2.274 million total viewers and 217,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was down -3% in total viewers and -5% in the demo compared to the week prior (the week beginning October 13).

Fox News averaged 1.460 million total viewers and 140,000 A25-54 viewers in total day viewing. Based on its average in those measurements from the previous week, it was down -5% in total viewers and -3% in the demo.

Fox News remained in second place in total primetime viewership and moved up to third from fourth place in the demo among all basic cable networks. In total day, it remained in first place in total viewers and climbed up to second place from third place in the total day demo.

MSNBC, in primetime, averaged 733,000 total viewers and 62,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network fell by -11% in total viewers and -2% in the demo compared to its average the week prior during primetime.

During total day, MSNBC averaged 475,000 total viewers and 42,000 demo viewers. This represented declines of -8% in total viewers and -2% in the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior.

Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC moved from fifth to fourth in total primetime viewers and landed at No. 20, up one from No. 21 in the demo. It remained in third place in total viewers and slipped to 15th from 14th in the total day demo, tied with AMC.

CNN averaged 495,000 total primetime viewers and 79,000 A25-54 viewers in the demo during primetime for the week of October 20. It was down -6% in total viewers and -1% in the demo compared to the previous week.

In total day, the network had 381,000 total viewers and 59,000 viewers in the demo. This resulted in a -2% loss in total viewers but a +2% gain in the demo during this daypart. It was the only cable network to record any positive moment during the concluded week.

Among all cable networks, CNN ranked seventh in total viewers and 13th in the demo during primetime. It moved from sixth to fourth place in total day among total viewers and was fourth in the demo.

When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago:

During primetime, Fox News was down by -18% in total viewers and -41% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network saw decreases of -13% in total viewers and -34% in the demo.
MSNBC was down -43% in total viewers and -60% in the demo. During total day, the network was down -47% in total viewers and -57% in the demo.
In primetime, CNN declined by -48% in total viewers and -60% in the demo. During total day, it saw losses of -30% in total viewers and -45% in the demo.

PROGRAMMING:

Fox News continued to have 14 out of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with The Five on top with 3.632 million total viewers at 5 p.m. ET. MSNBC remained in the chart courtesy of The Rachel Maddow Show, which aired at 9 p.m. ET on Mondays, taking the No. 13 position with 1.586 million total viewers.

Gutfeld! remained in the top spot in the Adults 25-54 demo, averaging 311,000 viewers at 10 p.m. ET. Once again, Fox News held 14 out of the 15 top spots in the demo, with MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, which aired at 9 p.m. ET on Mondays, taking the final spot, averaging 107,000 viewers.

Prime Time

	Fox News	MSNBC	CNN
• Total Viewers:	2,274,000	733,000	495,000
• A25-54:	217,000	62,000	79,000

Total Day

	Fox News	MSNBC	CNN
• Total Viewers:	1,460,000	475,000	381,000
• A25-54:	140,000	42,000	59,000

Week 10-20-25 P25-54 Cable Ranker BDP by Adweek