Among all cable networks, CNN finished fourth, up from sixth, in total viewers. It moved from seventh to fifth in the demo during primetime. It climbed one spot to No. 3 in total day among total viewers and again moved up one spot to fifth in the demo.
When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago:
- During primetime, Fox News was up by +12% in total viewers but was down by -3% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network posted gains of +7% in total viewers but fell by -17% in the demo—the only network with declines within this yearly comparison.
- MS NOW was up by +7% in total viewers and +45% in the demo. During total day, the network was up +15% in total viewers and +30% in the demo.
- In primetime, CNN grew by +102% in total viewers and +91% in the demo. During total day, it rose by +50% in total viewers and +39% in the demo.
PROGRAMMING:
Fox News had 13 out of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with Jesse Watters Primetime rising to the top with 4.1 million total viewers at 8 p.m. ET. MS NOW was represented in the chart by The Rachel Maddow Show, airing only on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET, which ranked 10th with 2.23 million total viewers. CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, airing weeknights at 8 p.m. ET, drew 1.863 million total viewers, placing 15th.
Jesse Watters Primetime, which airs weeknights at 8 p.m. ET on Fox News, also finished No. 1 in the Adults 25-54 demo, averaging 413,000 viewers. Fox News held 11 of the 15 top spots in the demo, with CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, airing weeknights at 8 p.m. ET, earning a top four placement, finishing fourth with 351,000 viewers. MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show, airing only on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET, landed in ninth place with 241,000 demo viewers. CNN had two other shows in the chart: Erin Burnett OutFront, airing weeknights at 7 p.m. ET, was in 10th place with 237,000 demo viewers, and CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, airing weeknights at 10 p.m. ET, was No. 15 with 196,000 demo viewers.
April 6, 2026 (Nielsen Big Data + Panel):
Prime Time
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 3,050,000 | 1,281,000 | 1,181,000 |
| • A25-54: | 312,000 | 146,000 | 216,000 |
Total Day
| Fox News | MS NOW | CNN | |
| • Total Viewers: | 1,808,000 | 767,000 | 660,000 |
| • A25-54: | 177,000 | 82,000 | 107,000 |
