FOX News Channel once again dominated both cable and broadcast television in primetime, averaging 2.85 million total viewers and 265,000 Adults 25–54 from 8–11 p.m. ET — marking a +2% increase from the previous week.
Key highlights for Fox News:
- Outdelivered ABC (2.95M total primetime across all programming), NBC (2.71M), and CBS (3.12M) in the key news demo (A25–54).
- Extended its streak of beating every broadcast network in the demo to 15 consecutive weeks.
- The Five – 3.7 million viewers
- Jesse Watters Primetime – 3.1 million viewers
MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) finished second in cable news with 920,000 primetime total viewers and 85,000 in the A25–54 demo.
- Up a modest 1% from the prior week in total viewers.
- Down 8% year-over-year as post-election viewership continues to normalize.
- Tuesday’s The Rachel Maddow Show led the network with 1.6 million viewers.
CNN placed third with 550,000 primetime total viewers and 95,000 in the demo.
- Essentially flat week-over-week.
- Marked CNN’s weakest December weekly performance since 2020.
- Anderson Cooper 360 was the network’s top show at 620,000 viewers.
In total-day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.78 million total viewers and 215,000 in the demo, more than MSNBC and CNN combined.
Fox News Channel led all cable and broadcast news outlets in primetime viewership for the week of December 2-8, 2025, averaging 2.85 million total viewers and 265,000 in the Adults 25-54 demo during the 8-11 p.m. ET slot, per Nielsen live + same-day data.
📺BROADCAST EVENING NEWS:
ABC's World News Tonight with David Muir dominated the week of December 2-8, 2025, averaging 7.89 million total viewers and 1.02 million viewers in the key Adults 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen live + same-day data.
This marked a 1% increase from the prior week and solidified ABC's ongoing lead over competitors, outpacing NBC by 1.4 million viewers and CBS by 3.2 million.
NBC's Nightly News with Tom Llamas placed second with 6.49 million total viewers and 842,000 in the 25-54 demo, reflecting a slight 0.5% dip week-over-week but steady performance amid seasonal holiday programming competition. CBS's Evening News with John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois trailed in third, drawing 4.69 million total viewers and 548,000 in the demo, up marginally by 0.8% from the previous week but continuing its season-long challenges following anchor changes.
The week's strong showing for ABC came amid heightened viewer interest in post-Thanksgiving economic updates and early holiday travel stories, boosting its margins across all metrics. All three newscasts saw modest gains in the 25-54 demo compared to the same week in 2024, with ABC up 3%, NBC flat, and CBS up 2%, signaling resilience in younger audiences despite overall broadcast declines.
These figures exclude holiday specials and focus on Monday-Friday airings, as is standard for Nielsen evening news tracking. ABC extended its season-to-date lead, averaging 7.62 million viewers through early December, compared to NBC's 6.18 million and CBS's 4.32 million. Industry analysts attribute ABC's edge to consistent storytelling and digital cross-promotion, while NBC benefits from Llamas' fresh energy post-Holt era. CBS, despite demo improvements, grapples with format adjustments, though recent gains hint at stabilization heading into 2026.
📺BROADCAST MORNING SHOWS
NBC's Today show claimed the top spot among broadcast morning news programs for the week of December 2-8, 2025, averaging 2.85 million total viewers and 680,000 in the Adults 25-54 demo, according to Nielsen live + same-day data.
This represented a 2% increase from the prior week and marked Today's sixth straight weekly win in total viewers, extending its lead over ABC's Good Morning America to 250,000 viewers—the widest margin since early 2023 amid holiday shopping segments and celebrity interviews.
ABC's Good Morning America finished second with 2.60 million total viewers and 510,000 in the demo, down 1% week-over-week but holding steady year-over-year with strong performances from lifestyle features like holiday recipe spotlights. CBS Mornings ranked third, drawing 1.95 million total viewers and 320,000 in the demo, up a modest 0.5% from the previous week, buoyed by in-depth economic roundtables but continuing to lag in broader appeal post-relaunch adjustments.
The week's results underscore Today's dominance in engaging younger viewers through viral social clips and live events, while GMA maintains a narrow seasonal edge in total audience. All three shows posted demo gains of 1-4% versus the same week in 2024, reflecting a post-Thanksgiving rebound despite cord-cutting pressures. Season-to-date, Today leads with 2.72 million average viewers, followed by GMA at 2.58 million and CBS Mornings at 1.92 million.
📺PRIMETIME TV
This marked a 2% uptick from the prior week, driven by strong performances from The Five (3.7 million viewers) and Jesse Watters Primetime (3.1 million), amid ongoing coverage of holiday economic impacts and international tensions. Fox outperformed broadcast rivals ABC (2.95 million primetime average across all programming), NBC (2.71 million), and CBS (3.12 million), extending its streak of topping networks in the demo by 15%.
MS NOW placed second among cable news with 920,000 primetime total viewers and 85,000 in the demo, up 1% week-over-week but down 8% year-over-year, reflecting post-election stabilization with The Rachel Maddow Show (1.6 million viewers on Tuesday airing). CNN trailed with 550,000 total viewers and 95,000 in the demo, flat from the previous week but marking its lowest December performance since 2020, bolstered slightly by Anderson Cooper 360 (620,000 viewers).
Broadcast networks ABC, CBS, and NBC focused on holiday specials and scripted fare, yielding mixed results: CBS edged ahead in total viewers thanks to repeats of Tracker and Matlock, while ABC led the demo with event-driven boosts.
The week's dynamics highlighted cable news' resilience in fragmented viewing, with Fox capturing 62% of the cable news primetime share despite broader industry declines of 5% in total viewers versus 2024. Broadcasts benefited from seasonal programming like ABC's The Great Christmas Light Fight (1.8 million viewers), but cable's news focus drew loyal demo audiences amid lighter political cycles. All networks saw demo gains of 1-3% from Thanksgiving week, signaling holiday rebound potential.