Observed Signal · Jul 2, 2026 · Ratings Report · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Fox News and MS NOW Lead June 22 Cable Ratings
Adweek’s TVNewser published Nielsen Big Data + Panel national cable-news ratings for the week of June 22, 2026. Fox News averaged 2.223 million primetime viewers (187,000 A25-54) and 1.439 million viewers (126,000 A25-54) in total day; MS NOW averaged 1.025 million primetime viewers (86,000 A25-54) and 649,000 total-day viewers (59,000 A25-54). CNN averaged 622,000 primetime viewers (85,000 A25-54) and 446,000 total-day viewers (57,000 A25-54). Week‑over‑week percentage changes and year‑over‑year comparisons were reported for each network. Fox News occupied most spots on the weekly most‑watched programming list (The Five led with 3.303 million viewers). The report notes primetime viewership declines across networks for the week, citing seasonal factors and FIFA World Cup viewing as possible influences.
Weekly Nielsen cable-news ratings provide actionable audience and program performance data used by media buyers, sellers and planners to inform short‑term inventory pricing and placement decisions, but they are routine rather than industry‑shifting.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Nielsen Big Data + Panel data for the week of June 22, 2026: Fox News averaged 2,223,000 primetime total viewers and 187,000 A25-54.
- Fox News averaged 1,439,000 total-day total viewers and 126,000 A25-54 for the week of June 22, 2026.
- MS NOW averaged 1,025,000 primetime total viewers and 86,000 A25-54; MS NOW total-day averaged 649,000 total viewers and 59,000 A25-54.
- CNN averaged 622,000 primetime total viewers and 85,000 A25-54; CNN total-day averaged 446,000 total viewers and 57,000 A25-54.
- The Five (Fox News) was the week's most-watched cable news program with 3.303 million total viewers; The Rachel Maddow Show (MS NOW) and The Last Word (MS NOW) also placed in the weekly top 15 (2.261M and 1.339M respectively).
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“MS NOW averaged 1.025 million total viewers and 86,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded....”
“According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of June 22, Fox News averaged 2.223 million total viewers......”
“According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of June 22, Fox News averaged 2.223 million total viewers and 187,000 A25-54 viewers duri...”
“CNN averaged 622,000 total primetime viewers and 85,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for the week of June 22....”
Related Market Signals & Shifts
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June 2026 Cable News Ratings: Fox Leads, MS NOW Gains
Adweek published Nielsen Big Data + Panel cable-news ratings for June 2026. Fox News led in total viewers for both primetime (2.26 million) and total day (1.451 million) while ranking third in the Adults 25-54 demo for primetime. MS NOW posted month-over-month and year-over-year gains in several measured categories—becoming the only network with across-the-board year-over-year growth—and averaged 1.015 million primetime viewers. CNN averaged 610,000 primetime viewers and showed declines versus May 2026 and June 2025. The report also lists top-performing programs (The Five, Jesse Watters Primetime, The Rachel Maddow Show, etc.) and program-level A25-54 rankings used by advertisers and buyers.
Week of May 18 Cable News Ratings: Mixed Results
Adweek’s TVNewser published Nielsen Big Data + Panel ratings for the week of May 18, 2026, showing mixed results across basic cable news networks during a Memorial Day holiday weekend. Fox News led in several measures, averaging 2.260 million primetime viewers (207,000 A25-54) and 1.501 million total-day viewers (138,000 A25-54), with small week-to-week demo gains but a -1% primetime total-viewer decline. MS NOW and CNN posted varied week-to-week changes: MS NOW averaged 918,000 primetime viewers (81,000 A25-54) and CNN averaged 598,000 primetime viewers (108,000 A25-54). Fox News held 13 of the 15 most-watched shows for the week; The Five was the top program with 3.543 million viewers. Year-over-year comparisons showed Fox down, while MS NOW and CNN grew substantially versus the same period in 2025. The article was published May 29, 2026.
Fox News Tops MS NOW and CNN Combined in May 2026
According to a May 2026 Nielsen-based ratings report published by Adweek and summarized by Cord Cutters News, Fox News led cable news in May 2026, drawing more primetime viewers than MS NOW and CNN combined. Fox averaged 2.381 million primetime viewers versus 942,000 for MS NOW and 633,000 for CNN. Despite substantial month-over-month audience declines across networks, Fox maintained a dominant scale: it also led in total day with 1.528 million viewers. The report highlights steep month-on-month declines for all three networks (notably Fox and CNN) while showing mixed year-over-year trends — Fox modestly down versus May 2025, MS NOW and CNN posting notable annual gains in several measures.
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