Okay, I will create a new, evergreen news article based on teh provided text, optimized for search and reader engagement, while adhering to the specified constraints.
STEP 1 – ANALYSIS (silent)
primarykeywords: cable news ratings, Q2 2025, Fox news, MSNBC, CNN
audience: Media professionals, news junkies, industry analysts
tone: Informative, analytical, data-driven
datelinelocation: NEW YORK
evergreenbackgroundtopics: Media consumption, television ratings, political news
originalbrandterms: Adweek, TVNewser, Nielsen Media Research
STEP 2 – REWRITE & OPTIMISE
NEW YORK – The second quarter of 2025 saw shifts in the cable news landscape, with Fox News maintaining its dominance while other networks experienced varying degrees of change. Escalating tensions in the Middle East and U.S. involvement were major news drivers, but overall cable news ratings dipped compared to the first quarter.
Fox News continued its reign as the most-watched cable news network, even surpassing some broadcast networks in primetime viewership.MSNBC stood out as the only network that didn’t lose viewers in either total viewers or the key Adult 25-54 demographic during total day.
Q2 2025 Cable News Ratings Highlights:
Table of Contents
- Fox News: Remained the top network in total viewers for both primetime and total day.
- MSNBC: The only network not to lose viewers in total day, but saw primetime viewership impacted by Rachel Maddow’s reduced schedule.
- CNN: Experienced declines in both total viewers and the A25-54 demo across primetime and total day.
Fox news Channel Performance
Fox news averaged 2.633 million total primetime viewers and 304,000 Adults 25-54 in Q2 2025. Total day viewership reached 1.632 million with 202,000 in the A25-54 demo.
Compared to Q1 2025, fox News saw declines of 13% in total viewers and 20% in the demo during primetime. Total day viewership decreased by 15% and 18% in total viewers and the demo, respectively.
However, year-over-year, Fox News experienced notable growth, with a 25% increase in total viewers and a 34% increase in the demo during primetime compared to Q2 2024. Total day viewership also rose by 25% and 31% in total viewers and the demo, respectively. This marks Fox News as the only network with year-over-year growth in the same quarter.
Fox News has now held the top spot in cable news for 94 consecutive quarters, according to Nielsen Media Research.
MSNBC Performance
MSNBC averaged 1.008 million total primetime viewers and 91,000 in the primetime demo. Total day viewership reached 596,000 with 57,000 in the A25-54 demo.
Compared to Q1 2025, MSNBC saw a slight decrease in primetime viewership, down 2% in total viewers and 5% in the demo. However, total day viewership increased by 1% in total viewers and remained flat in the demo.
Year-over-year, MSNBC experienced declines, with a 15% decrease in total viewers and a 20% decrease in the demo during primetime compared to Q2 2024. Total day viewership also decreased by 26% and 31% in total viewers and the demo, respectively.
CNN performance
CNN averaged 538,000 total primetime viewers and 105,000 in the primetime demo. Total day viewership reached 406,000 with 71,000 in the A25-54 demo.
Compared to Q1 2025, CNN saw declines of 4% and 13% in total viewers and the demo, respectively, in primetime. Total day viewership decreased by 5% in total viewers and 10% in the demo.
Year-over-year, CNN experienced declines, with a 13% decrease in total viewers and a 15% decrease in the demo during primetime compared to Q2 2024. Total day viewership also decreased by 14% and 16% in total viewers and the demo, respectively.
Top Performing Programs
- Fox News: The Five led with 3.851 million total viewers and 410,000 in the demo.
- MSNBC: The Rachel Maddow Show led with 2.039 million total viewers and 177,000 in the demo.
- CNN: Erin Burnett OutFront led with 610,000 total viewers, while CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip led in the demo with 127,000.
Q2 2025 Cable News Ratings (Nielsen Live+SD data):
Primetime
| Fox News | MSNBC | CNN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Viewers | 2,663,000 | 1,008,000 | 538,000 |
| A25-54 | 304,000 | 91,000 | 105,000 |
Total Day
| Fox News | MSNBC | CNN | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Viewers | 1,632,000 | 596,000 | 406,000 |
| A25-54 | 202,000 | 57,000 | 71,000 |
