This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of October 13, 2025.
Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN all grew with total viewers during primetime and total day for the just-concluded week.
However, in the advertiser-coveted demo, CNN was the only big three cable news network to record week-to-week gains, with MSNBC being the only network to lose viewers in both dayparts.
Meanwhile, Fox News had 98 of the top 100 weekly cable news telecasts for the week.
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of October 13, Fox News averaged 2.333 million total viewers and 229,000 Adults 25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was up +2% in total viewers and +4% in the demo compared to the week prior (the week beginning October 6).
Fox News averaged 1.537 million total viewers and 145,000 A25-54 viewers in total day viewing. Based on its average in those measurements from the previous week, it was up +4% in total viewers and was flat in the demo.
Fox News remained in second place in total primetime viewership and fourth place in the demo among all basic cable networks. In total day, it remained in first place in total viewers and continued to occupy third place in the total day demo.
MSNBC, in primetime, averaged 822,000 total viewers and 63,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network was up +1% in total viewers but down -19% in the demo compared to its average the week prior during primetime.
During total day, MSNBC averaged 516,000 total viewers and 43,000 demo viewers. This represented a gain of +2% in total viewers but a decline of -7% in the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior.
Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC remained in fifth place in total primetime viewers and fell four spots to No. 21 in the demo. It moved back to third from fourth place in total viewers and rose by two to land in 14th place in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 529,000 total primetime viewers and 80,000 A25-54 viewers in the demo during primetime for the week of October 13. It saw double-digit gains of +15% in total viewers and +21% in the demo compared to the previous week.
In total day, the network had 390,000 total viewers and 58,000 viewers in the demo. This resulted in a +2% gain in total viewers and a +4% increase in the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN rose from eighth place to sixth in total viewers and jumped six spots to No. 15 in the demo during primetime. It remained in sixth place during total day with total viewers and was also steady in the No. 9 spot in the demo.
