The week leading up to Labor Day typically sees lower viewership due to the unofficial end of summer, and most cable news networks experienced declines. MSNBC was the exception, posting a +4% gain in the total day Adults 25-54 demo, though it joined Fox News and CNN in primetime and total day declines for total viewers and, in some cases, the demo.
Network Performance (Nielsen Live Plus Same-Day Data):
Fox News:
- Primetime: Averaged 2.081 million total viewers (-14% vs. prior week) and 218,000 A25-54 viewers (-13%). Ranked #1 in total viewers and #2 in the demo.
- Total Day: Averaged 1.383 million total viewers (-9%) and 151,000 A25-54 viewers (-12%). Held #1 in total viewers and #2 in the demo.
- Year-Over-Year: Down -10% in primetime total viewers, -24% in the demo; flat in total day viewers, -16% in the demo.
- Primetime: Averaged 738,000 total viewers (-8%) and 67,000 A25-54 viewers (-14%). Ranked #3 in total viewers and #17 in the demo.
- Total Day: Averaged 494,000 total viewers (-4%) and 47,000 A25-54 viewers (+4%, the only network with growth). Ranked #3 in total viewers and #13 in the demo.
- Year-Over-Year: Down -43% in primetime total viewers, -53% in the demo; down -42% in total day viewers, -47% in the demo.
- Primetime: Averaged 362,000 total viewers (-18%) and 69,000 A25-54 viewers (-7%). Dropped to #11 in total viewers and #16 in the demo.
- Total Day: Averaged 314,000 total viewers (-8%) and 50,000 A25-54 viewers (-6%). Ranked #4 in total viewers and #11 in the demo.
- Year-Over-Year: Down -65% in primetime total viewers and the demo; down -43% in total day viewers, -50% in the demo.
Fox News dominated with 14 of the top 15 cable news shows in both total viewers and the A25-54 demo. The Five led with 3.435 million total viewers and 311,000 demo viewers at 5 p.m. ET.
MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show (Mondays, 9 p.m. ET) ranked #10 in total viewers (1.850 million) and #13 in the demo (162,000).
📺BROADCAST EVENING NEWS
“World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 program in Total Viewers (7.118 million) on all of broadcast and cable (excluding sports) during the week of Sept. 1, 2025, based on Live+Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research. “World News Tonight” has been the No. 1 most-watched program on television for 17 consecutive weeks (with and without sports).
“World News Tonight” out delivered “NBC Nightly News” (5.631 million, 820,000 and 520,000, respectively) by 1.557 million Total Viewers, by 73,000 Adults 25-54 and by 72,000 Adults 18-49.
“World News Tonight” increased its lead over “NBC Nightly News” versus the year-ago week in Total Viewers (+28% – 1.557 million vs. 1.213 million) and Adults 25-54 (+4% – 73,000 vs. 70,000).
For the 2nd week in a row, “World News Tonight” improved on the previous week in Total Viewers (+2%/+162,000 – 7.188 million vs. 7.026 million) and Adults 25-54 (+2%/+21,000 – 893,000 vs. 872,000). “World News Tonight” attracted its largest overall audience in 5 weeks — since w/o 7/28/25.
“World News Tonight” was up on the same week last year in Total Viewers (+3%/+212,000 – 7.188 million vs. 6.976 million), standing as the only evening newscast to grow year to year.
NBC Nightly News.....
- Averages 5.631 million total viewers, topping CBS by + 1.923 million (+52%)
- Nightly News grows the most in total viewers vs. last week compared to ABC, increasing by +309,000
- Nightly News closes total viewer gap vs. ABC by 9% in week-over-week measurements
- Averages 820,000 A25-54 viewers, topping CBS by +305,000 (+59%)
- Nightly News grows the most in the key A25-54 demo vs. last week compared ABC, increasing by +139,000 and hitting a 7-week high (best since 7/14/25)
- Nightly News narrows the A25-54 gap vs. ABC by 62% in week-over-week measurements
- Averages 520,000 A18-49 viewers, beating CBS by +117,000 (+29%)
- Nightly News grows the most in A18-49 vs. last week compared to ABC, increasing by +102,000 and hitting a 7-week high (best since 7/14/25)
- Nightly News marks its most narrow A18-49 gap vs. ABC in week-over-week measurements since May 26, 2025
🌞BROADCAST MORNING SHOWS
NBC News’ TODAY was the number-one morning show outright last week, topping ABC’s “Good Morning America” in total viewers and the key demo. This marks a 22-week high in total viewership and the key demo, its best advantage over GMA in 27 weeks for total viewers and 15 weeks for the key demo. Additionally, TODAY saw the biggest growth across the board among the morning shows, more than GMA and CBS combined versus the prior week.
Season to date, TODAY is the top-rated morning show in the key demo. This is TODAY’s best key demo start to a season over GMA in 8 seasons.
TODAY HIGHLIGHTS:
- TODAY averaged 2.607 million total viewers, beating GMA by +18,000 (+1%) and leading CBS by +814,000 (+45%) Total viewership for TODAY reached a 22-week high (best since 3/31/25) TODAY’s advantage over GMA is the largest seen in 27 weeks (since 2/24/25) TODAY’s advantage over CBS is the largest seen in 34 weeks (since 1/6/25) Week over week, TODAY added the most total viewers (+150,000, up +6%), reversed a gap to a win vs. GMA 118% (+18,000 vs. -99,000 prior week), and increased its lead over CBS by 10% (+814,000 vs. +737,000 prior week) Compared to prior year, TODAY improved its total viewership advantage vs. CBS by 32% (+814,000 vs. +617,000 prior year)
- TODAY averaged 620,000 A25-54 viewers, beating GMA by +140,000 (+29%) and leading CBS by +309,000 (+99%) TODAY has been the #1 morning show among A25-54 viewers 6 consecutive weeks (since 7/28/2025) and for 107 of the last 108 weeks A25-54 viewership for TODAY reached a 22-week high (best since 3/31/25) TODAY’s advantage over GMA is the largest seen in 15 weeks (since 5/19/25) TODAY’s advantage over CBS is the largest seen in 27 weeks (since 2/24/25) TODAY has won the key A25-54 demo for 24 consecutive broadcasts Week over week, TODAY posted the biggest increase in A25-54 viewers (+54,000, up +9%) and improved its demo advantage over GMA by 37% (+140,000 vs. +102,000 prior week) and CBS by 19% (+309,000 vs. +259,000 prior week) Compared to prior year, TODAY improved its A25-54 viewership advantage vs. CBS by 9% (+309,000 vs. +283,000 prior year)
- TODAY averaged 397,000 A18-49 viewers, beating GMA by +66,000 (+20%) and leading CBS by +184,000 (+87%) A18-49 viewership for TODAY reached a 17-week high (best since 5/5/25) TODAY’s advantage over GMA is the largest seen in 16 weeks (since 5/12/25) TODAY’s advantage over CBS is the largest seen in 17 weeks (since 5/5/25) Versus prior week, TODAY saw the best growth in A18-49 viewers (+38,000, up +11%) while improving its lead over GMA by 47% (+66,000 vs. +45,000 prior week) and CBS by 16% (+184,000 vs. +159,000 prior week) Year over year, TODAY improved its A18-49 viewership advantage vs. CBS by 2% (+184,000 vs. +180,000 prior year)
📺TELEVISION SHOWS RATINGS RANKER
Ranking is based on ratings data as of Tuesday, September 2, 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.