This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of September 29, 2025.
Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN all showed positive momentum with total viewers during total day, as all three networks recorded week-to-week improvements.
Outside of that, the results were mixed in the other dayparts and categories, with Fox News and MSNBC not losing viewership among total viewers during primetime. Meanwhile, MSNBC saw double-digit growth in the primetime demo. CNN was the only network with gains during the total day demo.
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According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of September 29, Fox News averaged 2.444 million total viewers and 247,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was flat in total viewers and down -1% in the demo compared to the week prior (the week beginning September 22).
Fox News averaged 1.537 million total viewers and 148,000 A25-54 viewers in total day viewing. Based on its average in those measurements from the previous week, it was up +1% in total viewers but down -5% in the demo.
Fox News remained in second place in total primetime viewers and slid from No. 2 to No. 4 in the demo among all basic cable networks. In total day, it remained in first place in total viewers and was in second place in the total day demo.
MSNBC, in primetime, averaged 892,000 total viewers and 87,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network saw gains of +5% in total viewers and +23% in the demo compared to its average the week prior during primetime. Its demo gain pushed it ahead of CNN, becoming the second most-watched network within this advertiser-coveted group.
During total day, MSNBC averaged 518,000 total viewers and 47,000 demo viewers. This represented growth of +1% in total viewers, but it dropped by -2% in the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior.
Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC finished in third place in total primetime viewers and was ranked No. 12 for demo. It was also in third place in total viewers and fell three spots to 14th in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 534,000 total primetime viewers and 84,000 A25-54 viewers in the demo during primetime for the week of September 29. It was down -1% in total viewers and -2% in the demo compared to the previous week.
In total day, the network had 394,000 total viewers and 60,000 viewers in the demo. This resulted in a +2% gain in total viewers and the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN slipped to sixth place from fourth in total viewers and dropped from No. 9 to No. 13 in the demo during primetime. It remained in fourth place during total day with total viewers and moved down one spot to No. 8 in the demo.