MS NOW Ratings Swing: How Network Is Doing Compared With CNN & Fox News
What To Know
- MS NOW was the only major cable news network to see week-over-week growth in total viewers for the week of March 16.
- Fox News remained the ratings leader in both primetime and total day viewership, but experienced double-digit percentage declines.
- CNN saw week-over-week declines but posted the largest year-over-year gains among the networks.
Cable news ratings for the week of March 16 are here, and MS NOW stands out as the only network that didn’t experience a week-over-week drop in total viewers.
According to AdWeek, citing Nielsen big data + panel for the week of March 16, MS NOW averaged 1.194 million total viewers and 100,000 viewers in the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic in primetime. While the network was down 18 percent in the demo compared to the week prior, its total viewers were up 3 percent.
It was the same story in total day, with MS NOW averaging 719,000 total viewers (up 3 percent on the week before) and 71,000 demo viewers (down by 3 percent on the week prior). This marked MS NOW as the only cable news network to see week-to-week growth.
Despite the growth, MS NOW still trailed Fox News, which averaged 2.475 million total viewers and 227,000 demo viewers during primetime for the week of March 16. Fox News was down 11 percent in total viewers and down 20 percent in the key demo compared to the previous week.
Fox News was also down in total day viewing, with an average of 1.666 million total viewers (down 5 percent) and 156,000 demo viewers (down 11 percent). Still, the network ranked first in primetime and total day viewership.
Meanwhile, CNN averaged 786,000 total viewers and 134,000 demo viewers in prime for the week of March 16. The network was down 4 percent in total viewers and down 10 percent in the key demo compared to the week prior.
In total day, CNN averaged 570,000 total viewers (down 4 percent from the previous week) and 89,000 demo viewers (down 9 percent from the previous week).
CNN, however, had the biggest gains compared to the same period last year. In primetime, the network was up 50 percent in total viewers and up 35 percent in the demo, while in total day, it rose by 41 percent in total viewers and 22 percent in the demo.
MS NOW also saw year-over-year growth, with an increase of 4 percent in primetime total viewers (though it was down 7 percent in the demo) and increases of 18 percent in total viewers and 20 percent in the demo in total day.
Fox News was down in all measured categories when compared to the same period in 2025. In primetime, the network was down 14 percent in total viewers and 34 percent in the demo, while in total day, it was down 7 percent in total viewers and 29 percent in the demo.
Despite year-over-year declines, Fox News still accounted for 13 of the top 15 most-watched cable news shows of the week, with The Five landing at No. 1 with an average of 3.812 million total viewers. The only non-Fox shows in the Top 15 were MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show (No. 7 with 2.393 million) and The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (No. 15 with 1.536 million).
Fox News also held 13 of the 15 top spots in the demo, with The Five once again landing at No. 1 with 367,000 viewers. The two non-Fox shows in the demo charts were The Rachel Maddow Show (No. 7 with 226,000 demo viewers) and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 (No. 15 with 164,000 demo viewers).
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