MS NOW, CNN & Fox News Ratings Show Jaw-Dropping Swings
What To Know
- Fox News remained the top-rated cable news network for the week of May 11, but saw significant year-over-year declines.
- MS NOW and CNN both experienced week-over-week declines, but posted substantial year-over-year gains.
- Fox News dominated the most-watched cable news shows, holding 14 of the top 15 spots.
The latest cable news ratings are in, and there are significant changes year-over-year for MS NOW, CNN, and Fox News.
According to AdWeek, citing Nielsen big data + panel for the week of May 11, Fox News remained in the top spot, averaging 2.282 million total viewers and 202,000 viewers in the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic during primetime. However, the network was down 8 percent in total viewers and down 9 percent in the demo compared to the week prior.
Fox News also led in total day viewing, averaging 1.465 million total viewers and 142,000 demo viewers. These figures were also down on the previous week, with a drop of 7 percent in total viewers and a drop of 3 percent in the key demo.
Most significantly, though, Fox News was down in both measured categories across primetime and total day when compared to the same period in 2025. In primetime, the network was down 9 percent in total viewers and down 28 percent in the demo. Meanwhile, in total day, it was down 8 percent in total viewers and down 23 percent in the demo, making it the only network with declines in this particular comparison.
MS NOW averaged 903,000 total viewers and 87,000 demo viewers for the week of May 11 in primetime. This was down 7 percent in total viewers and down 4 percent in the demo compared to the week before.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 581,000 total viewers and 62,000 demo viewers. This was down 4 percent in total viewers and flat in the demo compared to the previous week.
MS NOW was up, however, when compared to the same period in 2025. The network was up 11 percent in total viewers and up 30 percent in the demo across primetime. In total day, it was up 9 percent in total viewers and up 32 percent in the demo.
Meanwhile, CNN averaged 661,000 total viewers and 104,000 demo viewers during primetime for the week of May 11. This was down 3 percent in total viewers and down 17 percent in the demo compared to the week prior.
In total day, CNN averaged 447,000 total viewers and 69,000 viewers in the key demo. This was down 8 percent in total viewers and down 14 percent in the demo compared to the previous week.
CNN was also up year over year, with total viewers up 63 percent and the demo up 41 percent in primetime. During total day, the network was up 31 percent in total viewers and up 19 percent in the key demo.
Despite year-over-year shifts, Fox News still held 14 of the 15 spots for the most-watched cable shows of the week. The Five stood at the top with 3.373 million total viewers and 317,000 demo viewers at 5 pm ET. The only non-Fox News show in the Top 15 was MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show, which averaged 1.942 million total viewers and 160,000 demo viewers at 9 pm ET.
Conversation56 Comments
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R
I think CNN, with all of the CNN paywall (subscribe) requirements is degrading their viewership numbers.
CNN for years was my homepage - no longer - Google News or BBC .
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L
According to the article, Fox viewership is down, while MS NOW and CNN are up.
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A
@laird,Um you need to go back and reread the What To Know segment, All of it.
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N
BBC now has a paywall. I only use Google.
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N
How is this jaw dropping? Yawn…
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D
Cable news networks reach a small fraction of the U.S. population on any given day, as millions of households abandon traditional pay-TV.
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H
Why did you compare figures vs. 2025 only for FOX, yet did not for the other networks? Don't you see it makes you look disingenuous? If you're going to report statistics, report them all. It might help give you credibility you need to get off life support as a relevant source of information.
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Y
..occasionally you need to read an entire article before having accurate information.
But hey, that’s probably why you’re watching Fox instead.
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G
A.I. will rob your remaining neurons even better than T.V. as well as make you pay a higher electric bill. Now, isn't that something to look forward to?
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J
Fox dominates and has for years.
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F
Nonsense. You watch too much trump
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B
I watch Sky News Australia on Google. They match the resonate frequency of my echo chamber perfectly!
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K
Absolutely they are the Fox News copy in Australia, they are the most blinkered presenters in media history
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L
To the reply: Experiment by simply trying CNN, PBS News, MSNOW, C-Span. See what worlds beyond Fox are saying. Then decide. What do you have to lose?
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L
Too bad about legacy newspapers, the bastions of preserving reality and democracy. Funny guy is right about "oldsters" watching TV and youngers getting info elsewhere
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F
Don’t see the cbs listed. Now that they have no programming. It’s likely hard to measure. Cowards
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K
fox doesn't lie, or manipulate the news for a narrative. Fox doesn't Race bait. Fox isn't perfect, but at least it isn't a propaganda machine for the democrats, and far left.
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T
I would choose MSNOW over all the 3 mentioned. I stream Rachel Maddow and follow her. I don’t like how CNN got rid oh Headline News and loved that crew so I don’t watch CNN anymore. With that said, FOX News is propaganda News. I chose the truth; not fake news!
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A
Then you must have cotton stuffed in your ears and your fingers in your eyes !! That or you’re a faithful follower of China and President Xi. 😂
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D
I think Fix is total Trump propaganda. How can anyone not see what's going on there. But, again, everyone has their own opinion.
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J
Do we trust CNN reporting?
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S
I think we live in a country of 350 million. Why should I care about a difference of 1 million people in viewership?
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G
Lol... so Fox had 2.8M viewrs at night and 1.4M daytime and MSDNC had only 903k and 581k.
Same as the Election....
The People Have Spoken.
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F
US pop is 342M. So 339.2 M haven't spoken.
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A
But Who won Both the popular vote And the Electoral College vote ? I’ll give you a clue, it wasn’t Kamala ! 🤣
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E
Yeah, but 78 million did in 2024
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B
Fox is to News as NASCAR and WWE are to sports. Not really news at all.
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J
MS Now gains because they were so low. The gain was almost non existent. Poor journalistic analysis on this article.
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A
And your particular expertise would be what?
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A
He knows how to read looks like. Doesn’t take a particular expertise.
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B
And the pussycats? Hahahaha
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F
Old people still watch TV hence Fox dominant share. Younger educated demo gets news elsewhere.
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G
"Younger educated demo gets news elsewhere." Yup, 'they heard it through the grapevine'.
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J
Can you read, The younger demographic is highest at Fox. Duh.
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L
I have 4 kids between 19 and 30 they watch fox and they stream everything else they don't believe in rep or dem they like a person who has conservative views from what I see. I raised them to be kind and considerate and fair.
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A
So that’s Why they have things so twisted !! They heard it through the grapevine !! Maybe they’ll wise up and switch to Fox where they can get Real American News.
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J
Then explain this: “Fox News remained in the top spot, averaging 2.282 million total viewers and 202,000 viewers in the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic during primetime.”
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G
It clearly means that of the adults 25-54 who DO use cable, it is what they go to. These numbers are only competing for THOSE customers. Demographics who do not rely on cable (which is a massive amount of people) are not considered.
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A
So you’re saying that people who Do use cable is just a small amount of people ? Hmm somehow I don’t think that’s the case.
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S
There are 350 million people in this country. 2 million is not even a percent of that total.
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D
Uh......that means that 91% of Fox viewers are either <25 (read zero) or older than 54. There's your explanation derp!
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I
Dick's comment makes absolutely no sense.
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A
Agree. Dick doesn’t understand that more is well……. more.
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T
You’re a funny guy
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T
Wrong! Fox is propaganda news!
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A
Looking at Fox through your Liberal Leftist Communist Lens its propaganda. But it’s not to Real Americans.
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E
You mean those highly educated younger voters that can't read or do basic math.
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A
This is a bad read for the liberal left. 😳
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W
How's that? The MAGA right has Fox on, sure, but are increasingly looking for online or fringe content even more aligned with their views. I would argue the liberal left is even less likely to be looking at cable news in favor of other content. The trends here are capturing the casual middle, moderate partisans, and what commercial / public spaces are comfortable putting on. Makes sense that the 'middles' saw a swing towards Fox when Trump was elected, and are seeing a pivot away when his popularity is dropping. Biggest takeaway is how few people watch cable news overall.
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J
Your analysis makes zero sense.
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B
Yep, the Magat mind really has a problem with logic and rational thought
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A
Are you enjoying Kamala being POTUS ? Oh that’s right she’s not ! Guess that lack of logic and rational thought showed up ! 🤣 Nipped you in the Bud ! 😂
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S
If only we had attended a learing center.
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A
Yep. He’s just throwing something out there hoping it’ll stick. That’s how the liberal left operates. And also why they are failing.
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T
I don't know about the political image but the topic not disussed in the article is "where are those viewers going for their news?" It's not cable TV.
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S
Not really. It just means the only people stupid enough to still pay for cable are people that watch Fox News. Conservatives aren't going to win another election for a long time.
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