Observed Signal · Jun 4, 2026 · Ratings Report · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Week of May 25: MS NOW Shows Demo Gains
Adweek's TVNewser reports Nielsen big data + panel ratings for the week of May 25, 2026. MS NOW was the only major cable news network to post week-to-week gains in the advertiser-coveted Adults 25–54 demo during both primetime and total day. Fox News led in total viewers (primetime and total day) and posted a primetime week-to-week increase in total viewers but saw a decline in the A25–54 demo. CNN showed demo growth in total day while being largely flat or slightly down in total viewers week-to-week. The report lists weekly averages for primetime and total day for Fox News, MS NOW and CNN, compares those figures to the prior week and year-ago period, and highlights program-level rankings (The Five, The Last Word, The Source, CNN NewsNight, All In).
Nielsen weekly ratings provide actionable audience measurement for TV advertisers and media buyers, but the report is routine weekly data rather than a major platform policy or technical change.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- For the week of May 25, 2026 Nielsen measured Fox News primetime averages of 2,299,000 total viewers and 183,000 Adults 25–54; primetime total viewers were up +2% week-to-week while the A25–54 demo fell -12%.
- MS NOW averaged 881,000 total primetime viewers and 100,000 A25–54 viewers; MS NOW was down -4% in total viewers but up +23% in the A25–54 demo week-to-week in primetime.
- CNN averaged 590,000 total primetime viewers and 108,000 A25–54 viewers; CNN declined -1% in total viewers and was flat in the demo week-to-week in primetime.
- Program highlights: Fox News’ The Five was the week’s most-watched cable news show with 3.33 million total viewers; MS NOW’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell had 1.194 million total viewers (No. 15).
- Year-over-year comparisons showed MS NOW and CNN with strong gains in both total viewers and demo versus the same period a year earlier, while Fox News posted notable declines in the A25–54 demo year-over-year.
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MS NOW Only Cable News Network Growing Across All Dayparts
Adweek’s TVNewser publishes Nielsen Big Data + Panel ratings for the week of June 1, 2026. MS NOW was the only basic cable news network to post gains in both total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo across primetime and total day. Fox News remained the highest in overall viewers for many dayparts (including 1–3 a.m. ET) and dominated the weekly most-watched program chart, while CNN posted week-over-week gains as well. The report lists Nielsen averages: Fox News led primetime with 2.3 million total viewers (203,000 A25-54); MS NOW had 976,000 primetime total viewers (102,000 A25-54); CNN had 637,000 primetime total viewers (116,000 A25-54). The piece also compares year‑over‑year changes and program-level rankings for the week.
Cable News Ratings Rise Week of July 13, 2026
From July through September 2026, cable news viewership declined as the news cycle slowed, with all major networks experiencing month-over-month and quarter-over-quarter drops. Fox News remained the most-watched network, averaging 2.064 million primetime viewers in Q3, but suffered a 17% year-over-year decline. In September, Fox's primetime viewers fell to 1.717 million (down 19% from August), with a 42% yearly drop in the week of September 7. MSNBC, referred to as MS NOW, was the only network with year-over-year gains in both total viewers and A25-54 demo, increasing 16% in primetime total viewers and 37% in total day demo; in the week of September 14, it rebounded with 33% primetime viewer gains and 47% demo gains. CNN also showed yearly growth (up 13% in primetime total viewers) and gained 13% in primetime viewers that week. However, all networks saw yearly declines in total viewers except MSNBC and CNN, which grew slightly. Top programs included 'The Five', leading with 3.146 million total viewers, and 'Hannity', 'The Rachel Maddow Show', and 'CNN NewsNight' ranking high on their networks. The data, based on Nielsen big data + panel, sets the stage for Q4 as networks prepare for midterm elections and sports programming.
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.
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