TV Ratings: As Fox News Approaches 30, The Five Makes History

• FOX News Paces Towards its Highest-Rated Midterm Year with Total Day Viewers
• ‘The Five’ Makes History: 20 Consecutive Quarters as Most-Watched Show in Cable News
• ‘Special Report with Bret Baier’ and ‘FOX & Friends’ Continue to Lead CBS in Major Markets

During the third quarter of 2026, FOX News Channel (FNC) dominated CBS with weekday primetime viewers ahead of its 30th anniversary on October 7, according to Nielsen. Averaging 2.4 million weekday primetime viewers, FNC led CBS (two million viewers) for the quarter, while continuing to lead CBS year-to-date with weekday primetime viewers. 

Ratings Graphics Courtesy of RoadMN

Additionally, FNC continued to lead all of cable with primetime and total day viewers as well as CNN and MS NOW combined with viewers. Notably, FNC is pacing towards its highest-rated midterm election year in network history with total day. Meanwhile, FNC’s The Five continues to make history marking the 20th consecutive quarter it has been the highest-rated show in cable news. CBS also marked a number of historic lows dating back to the 1990s during the quarter including 60 Minutes which had its lowest-rated season premiere of the 21st century in September.

For the full quarter, FNC delivered 1.3 million total day viewers and in primetime, FNC notched 2.1 million viewers. FNC commanded 57% of the audience in primetime and 56% in total day. It also secured the top spot in cable among Hispanic, Asian and upscale audiences in total day for the third quarter. In September, FNC delivered 2.1 viewers in weekday primetime leading CBS who saw two million viewers. In Monday - Sunday total day, FNC commanded 1.3 million viewers and in primetime FNC drew 2.1 million viewers.

Additionally, CBS continued its downward trajectory collapsing to 2.1 million viewers and 439,000 in the 25-54 demo, its worst quarter dating back to 1994 among total viewers. CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil delivered back-to-back quarters under four million viewers, while CBS Mornings saw its lowest-rated quarter ever with 1.6 million viewers and 256,000 in the 25-54 demo. Additionally, ABC marked its worst quarter of the 21st century in the weekday primetime demo with 531,000 A25-54.

Ratings Graphics Courtesy of RoadMN

Several of FNC’s programs also continued to outperform broadcast programs throughout the quarter. At 5 PM/ET, FNC’s The Five extended its historic run as the first non-primetime program to rank as the most watched show in cable news for 20 consecutive quarters. The program secured 3.1 million viewers. The Five led CBS’ The Big Ten on CBS (3 million viewers), NBC’s Password (2.9 million viewers) and ABC’s 20/20 Friday (2.8 million viewers).

FNC’s flagship newscast, Special Report with Bret Baier (6 PM/ET), garnered more than 2.3 million viewers. During the quarter, Special Report beat CBS Evening News in 11 major markets including Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Orlando and Detroit and others while continuing to close the gap with CBS Evening News.

In 3Q 2026, FNC delivered 13 of the top 15 shows in cable news with viewers. At 7 PM/ET, The Ingraham Angle led the competition with 2.2 million viewers. Jesse Watters Primetime drew than 2.8 million viewers in the 8 PM/ET hour, leading ABC’s RJ Decker (2.7 million viewers) and Press Your Luck (2.6 million). At 9 PM/ET, Hannity dominated the competition with 2.3 million viewers, easily surpassing the Monday edition of MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show (1.9 million viewers). At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night with Trace Gallagher averaged 1.3 million viewers.

Late-night sensation Gutfeld! continued to soar drawing in 2.5 million viewers during the 10 PM/ET hour. Easily outpacing its cable news competition, Gutfeld! also outranked all broadcast and late-night television, including ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1.8 million viewers) and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1.4 million viewers), Late Night with Seth Meyers (806,000 viewers) and CBS’ Comics Unleashed (728,000 viewers).

During daytime, America’s Newsroom (9 - 11 AM/ET) with Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer lead its timeslot with 1.6 million viewers. At 11 AM/ET, The Faulkner Focus, anchored by Harris Faulkner, drew the largest audience with 1.6 million viewers. At 12 PM/ET, Outnumbered also saw 1.6 million viewers. From 1-3 PM/ET, America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith was the most-watched program in its timeslot, averaging 1.5 million viewers, while The Story with Martha MacCallum drew 1.6 million viewers. At 4 PM/ET, FNC’s The Will Cain Show averaged 1.8 million viewers. Each daytime program surpassed NBC’s Today with Jenna and Sheinelle (1.4 million viewers), ABC’s GMA3 (1.3 million viewers) and NBC News Daily (1.4 million viewers).

 

The FOX & Friends franchise remained the most-watched morning lineup in cable news throughout the quarter. FOX & Friends (6-9 AM/ET) amassed 1.1 million viewers. Notably, FOX & Friends beat CBS Mornings in 21 markets including New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Boston, Tampa, Detroit, and others. From 5-6 AM/ET, FOX & Friends FIRST outpaced the competition with 475,000 viewers.

Throughout the quarter, FNC also continued to excel against the competition during the weekend. Kayleigh McEnany’s Saturday in America (Saturday, 10 AM-12 PM/ET) posted 1.4 million viewers. FOX News Saturday Night with Jimmy Failla (Saturday, 10 PM/ET) was the top show in primetime with 1.2 million viewers. FOX News Live (Saturday, 12–2 PM/ET) commanded 1.1 million viewers, as did The Big Weekend Show (weekends, 5-8 PM/ET), co-hosted by Tomi Lahren and Johnny Joey Jones. My View with Lara Trump (Saturday, 9 PM/ET) and Life, Liberty & Levin (weekends, 8 PM/ET) both nabbed 1.1 million viewers to round out primetime.

On Sundays at 10 AM/ET, Sunday Morning Futures drew 1.4 million viewers. At 11 AM/ET, The Sunday Briefing, hosted by rotating anchors Peter Doocy and Jacqui Heinrich, nabbed 1.3 million viewers. In primetime, Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy (Sunday, 9 PM/ET) averaged 1.3 million viewers while Life, Liberty & Levin secured 1.2 million viewers and One Nation with Brian Kilmeade (Sunday, 10 PM/ET) had 1.1 million viewers.

Source: Nielsen. Live+SD. Big Data + Panel. 3Q’26 quarterly and September 2026 monthly ratings data. Average audience for cable news networks M-Sunday based on Total Day and Prime (6a-6a and 8P-11P), P2+, P25-54, P18-49. Cable News/Broadcast Program averages exclude repeats/specials and include the corresponding program name. Includes only current Fox News lineup.