Fox News Leads Cable News Viewership in Q3 2026

Fox News Channel dominated cable news viewership during the third quarter of 2026, averaging 1.3 million total-day viewers and 2.1 million weekday primetime viewers. The network's audience exceeded the combined totals of MS NOW and CNN in both categories.

Individual programs drove the network's lead. The Five remained the highest-rated cable news show for the 20th consecutive quarter with 3.1 million average viewers. FOX & Friends held the top spot for morning cable news, while Gutfeld! outperformed all broadcast late-night television programs. Fox News also led the adults 25-54 demographic, a key metric for advertisers.

Competitors trailed significantly in the Nielsen Holdings data. MS NOW averaged 592,000 total-day viewers, and CNN averaged 607,000 primetime viewers. Of the top 14 cable news programs, only The Rachel Maddow Show on MS NOW placed outside the Fox News lineup, finishing seventh.