TV Ratings: Cable News Networks See Mixed Results

Following the Labor Day holiday weekend, the three major cable news networks—CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC—reported varied performance in viewership for the week of September 1, 2025, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel. 

CNN was the only network to see gains, boosting total viewers in both primetime and total day, as well as the Adults 25-54 demographic during total day. Meanwhile, Fox News and MSNBC experienced declines across both metrics and dayparts, with Fox News posting the steepest drops in the advertiser-critical 25-54 demo.

CNN’s gains in total viewers and total day demo performance highlight its ability to attract audiences post-holiday, possibly driven by compelling news cycles or programming adjustments. However, its primetime demo decline suggests challenges in retaining younger viewers during peak hours. Fox News, despite significant demo losses, maintained its stronghold as the most-watched cable news network, bolstered by its loyal audience and top-performing shows like The Five. MSNBC’s consistent declines across metrics indicate a tougher road ahead in competing for both broad and advertiser-prized viewers. As the media landscape evolves, these trends underscore the ongoing battle for relevance and audience share in a highly competitive cable news market.

Network Performance:  

• 
  Fox News:  Despite declines, Fox News remained the dominant cable news network, capturing 64% of the primetime audience and 61% of the total day audience, and securing 96 of the top 100 weekly cable news telecasts. In primetime, it averaged 1.977 million total viewers and 164,000 A25-54 viewers, down 5% and 25%, respectively, from the prior week (beginning August 25). For total day, Fox News averaged 1.290 million total viewers (down 7%) and 118,000 demo viewers (down 22%). Among all basic cable networks, it ranked second in primetime total viewers and the 25-54 demo, while holding first place in total day viewers and second in the total day demo.
• MSNBC saw primetime averages of 666,000 total viewers (down 10%) and 58,000 A25-54 viewers (down 13%) compared to the previous week. In total day, it averaged 466,000 total viewers (down 6%) and 37,000 demo viewers (down 21%). Across basic cable networks, MSNBC placed third in primetime total viewers but ranked 20th in the demo. For total day, it held third place in total viewers and 15th in the demo, reflecting a consistent but modest audience base.
• CNN showed resilience, growing its primetime audience to 451,000 total viewers (up 25%) while slipping 10% in the A25-54 demo with 62,000 viewers. In total day, it averaged 366,000 total viewers (up 17%) and 54,000 demo viewers (up 8%). Among basic cable networks, CNN ranked sixth in primetime total viewers and 18th in the demo, while securing fourth place in total day viewers and ninth in the demo. Its gains suggest a potential rebound in viewer interest post-holiday.

Fox News dominated the top cable news programs, claiming 14 of the 15 most-watched shows in both total viewers and the A25-54 demo. The Five led at 5 p.m. ET with 3.275 million total viewers and 279,000 demo viewers, securing the top spot in both categories. MSNBC’s sole entry in the top 15 was Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace at 4 p.m. ET, ranking 15th with 1.099 million total viewers. In the demo, CNN’s Inside Politics with Dana Bash at 12 p.m. ET took the 15th spot with 99,000 viewers, breaking Fox News’s near-sweep.

📺BROADCAST EVENING NEWS

“World News Tonight with David Muir” ranked as the No. 1 evening newscast in all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (7.133 million), Adults 25-54 (1.002 million) and Adults 18-49 (708,000) during the week of Sept. 8, 2025, based on Live+Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research.

• “World News Tonight” outperformed “NBC Nightly News” (5.655 million, 767,000 and 501,000, respectively) by 1.478 million Total Viewers, by 235,000 Adults 25-54 and by 207,000 Adults 18-49.
• “World News Tonight” more than tripled its lead over “NBC Nightly News” versus the previous week in Adults 25-54 (+222% – 235,000 vs. 73,000) and more than doubled its lead in Adults 18-49 (+188% – 207,000 vs. 72,000). In fact, “World News Tonight” saw its largest Adults 25-54 lead over the NBC program in nearly 4 months and biggest lead in Adults 18-49 in over 2 years — since weeks of 4/21/25 and 6/26/23, respectively.
• “World News Tonight” posted double-digit gains week to week in Adults 25-54 (+12%/+109,000 – 1.002 million vs. 893,000) and Adults 18-49 (+20%/+116,000 – 708,000 vs. 592,000), hitting 6-week highs in both measures — since w/o 7/28/25.
• “World News Tonight” improved on the year-ago week in Total Viewers (+3%/+200,000 – 7.133 million vs. 6.933 million), Adults 25-54 (+4%/+35,000 – 1.002 million vs. 967,000) and Adults 18-49 (+11%/+72,000 – 708,000 vs. 636,000), standing as the only evening newscast to grow year to year across the board.

• On Wednesday (9/10/25), “World News Tonight” turned in its strongest single-day telecast in Adults 25-54 (1.233 million) and Adults 18-49 (932,000) in over 6 months — since 3/3/25.
• “World News Tonight” (7.133 million, 1.002 million and 708,000, respectively) defeated “CBS Evening News” (3.872 million, 574,000 and 432,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+84%/+3.261 million), Adults 25-54 (+75%/+428,000) and Adults 18-49 (+64%/+276,000).

📺BROADCAST MORNING NEWS:

“Good Morning America” ranked as the No. 1 morning newscast in Total Viewers (2.677 million) during the week of Sept. 8, 2025, based on Live+Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research. “GMA” outperformed NBC’s “Today” (2.544 million) by 133,000, substantially increasing its lead year to year (+1230%; vs. 10,000). 

• “GMA” improved on the previous week in Total Viewers (+3% – 2.677 million vs. 2.589 million) and Adults 25-54 (+2% – 489,000 vs. 480,000). “GMA” drew its largest overall audience in 6 weeks, while hitting a 5-month high in the key Adult news demo — since weeks of 7/28/25 and 4/7/25, respectively.
• For the 2nd week in a row, “GMA” improved on the year-ago week in Total Viewers (+6% – 2.677 million vs. 2.526 million), Adults 25-54 (+13% – 489,000 vs. 423,000) and Adults 18-49 (+11% – 318,000 vs. 287,000). “GMA” stood as the only morning newscast to grow year to year in all key target demos.
• “GMA” cut its margins versus the previous week with “Today” by double digits in Adults 25-54 (-38% – 87,000 vs. 140,000)and Adults 18-49 (-36% – 42,000 vs. 66,000).

• “GMA” slashed its margins year to year with “Today” by more than half in Adults 25-54 (-61% – 87,000 vs. 225,000) and Adults 18-49 (-71% – 42,000 vs. 146,000).
• “GMA” (2.677 million, 489,000 and 318,000, respectively) beat “CBS Mornings” (1.823 million, 313,000 and 220,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+854,000), Adults 25-54 (+176,000) and Adults 18-49 (+98,000). “GMA” led “CBS Mornings” in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 for the last 1,391 weeks overall — since w/o 1/18/99.

📺TV SHOWS RATINGS RANKER

Ranking is based on ratings data as of Thursday, September 11, 2025. The audience figures are derived from the latest Nielsen daily, weekly, or monthly P2+ program audience averages, whichever is the most recently available within the past seven-day window. Please note that some shows may not appear in the ranking probably because there are no ratings data for them within the stipulated period.