Week of Sept. 29 Cable News Ratings: Cable Nets See Gains in Total Viewers

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.

NETWORKS:

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.

When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago, which featured the vice presidential debate during that same week:

During primetime, Fox News was down by -22% in total viewers and by -44% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network saw decreases of -9% in total viewers and -37% in the demo.
MSNBC was down -49% in total viewers and -61% in the demo. During total day, the network was down -48% in total viewers and -57% in the demo.
In primetime, CNN declined by -45% in total viewers and -63% in the demo. During total day, it saw losses of -31% in total viewers and -42% 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 continuing to lead the way with 3.745 million total viewers at 5 p.m. ET. MSNBC was represented in the chart by The Rachel Maddow Show, which aired at 9 p.m. ET on Mondays, taking the No. 13 position with 1.808 million total viewers.

Gutfeld! continued to hold fort in first place in the Adults 25-54 demo, averaging 376,000 viewers at 10 p.m. ET. Once again, Fox News had 14 out of the 15 top spots in the demo, with The Rachel Maddow Show at 9 p.m. ET on Mondays taking the No. 6 position with 231,000 viewers.

Prime Time

	Fox News	MSNBC	CNN
• Total Viewers:	2,444,000	892,000	534,000
• A25-54:	247,000	87,000	84,000

Total Day

	Fox News	MSNBC	CNN
• Total Viewers:	1,537,000	518,000	394,000
• A25-54:	148,000	47,000	60,000

Week 9-29-25 P25-54 Cable Ranker BDP by Adweek