CNN, MS NOW & Fox News Ratings: Whose Viewership Skyrocketed?

The primetime ratings for the week of April 6 showed major improvements for CNN, MS NOW, and Fox News, with all three networks showing increases in both total viewers and viewers in the key Adults 25 to 54 demo. For CNN, in particular, it was a spectacularly good week.

Fox News led the week, averaging 3.05 million total viewers and 312,000 in the key demo during primetime. Compared to the week before, this was a 10% increase in total viewers and 4% increase in the demo.

For total day viewership, the network averaged 1.808 million total viewers and 177,000 in the Adults demo, an increase by 5% for total viewers and decrease by 1% for the key demo, compared to the week of March 30.

MS NOW brought in an average of 1.281 million total viewers and 146,000 viewers in the key demo during primetime. This was up 2% in total viewers and up 11% in the Adults demo compared to one week prior. Meanwhile, MS NOW’s total day average numbers were 767,000 for total viewer and 82,000 for demo viewers, which was a 2% increase in total viewers and flat for demo viewers compared to the week before.

CNN’s primetime total viewers averaged 1.181 million for the week of April 6, while the network saw 216,000 average viewers in the 25 to 54 demo. This brought CNN up 46% and 60% in total viewers and demo viewers, respectively, compared to the week than began on March 30.

Total day viewership at CNN averaged 660,000 total viewers and 107,000 viewers in the key demo. This was a 10% increase in total viewers and 14% increase in the key demo compared to the prior week. Coverage of Artemis II’s return to Earth was beneficial for CNN on Friday, April 10, as it brought in 477,000 demo viewers during primetime, making it the most-watched cable network between 7/8c and 11:30/10:30c that evening.

Compared to the same week in 2025, Fox News was up 12% in total viewers and down 3% in the key demo for primetime, and up 7% in total viewers, but down 17% in demo viewers, for total day. MS NOW saw a primetime increase of 7% in total viewers and increase of 45% in the key demo, as well as a 15% increase in average total day viewers and 30% increase in average total day demo viewers.

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Finally, CNN had a massive increase of 102% in total viewers and 91% in the demo for primetime compared to the same week in March 2025, thanks largely to its Artemis coverage. Its total day total viewers rose 50% compared to 2025, while the demo was up 39%.

Anderson Cooper appears on CNN weeknights at 8/7c, while Jesse Watters hosts Jesse Watters Primetime at 8/7c and The Five at 5/4c on Fox News. Rachel Maddow‘s MS NOW show airs once a week on Monday nights.