this is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of September 22, 2025.
MSNBC is rapidly approaching a major transition period in its existence as it approaches the final stages of its association with the nbcuniversal News Group family. The network concluded its penultimate week as an NBCU member by becoming the only news network to avoid declines in both total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime and total day.
Fox News was the no. 1 most-watched cable news network; though, it was also the only cable news network to experience declines across the board during both dayparts.
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According to nielsen big data + panel for the week of September 22, Fox News averaged 2.454 million total viewers and 249,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime.The network was down -8% in total viewers and down -14% in the demo compared to the week prior.
Fox News averaged 1.524 million total viewers and 156,000 A25-54 viewers in total day viewing. Based on its average in those measurements from the previous week, it was down by -14% in total viewers and -22% in the demo.
Fox News slipped to second place in total primetime viewers and was the No. 2 network in the demo among all basic cable networks. In total day, it remained in first place in total viewers and was in second place in the total day demo.
MSNBC, in primetime, averaged 853,000 total viewers and 71,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network was flat in total viewers and saw a +1% gain in the demo compared to its average the week prior during primetime.
During total day, MSNBC averaged 514,000 total viewers and 48,000 demo viewers. This represented growth of +2% in total viewers and +9% in the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior.
Among all basic cable networks, MSNBC finished in third place in total primetime viewers and ranked No. 12 in the demo,tied with FX. It was in third place in total viewers and ranked 11th in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 538,000 total primetime viewers and 86,000 A25-54 viewers in the demo during primetime for the week of September 22. It was down -6% in total viewers and -1% in the demo compared to the previous week.
In total day, the network had 387,000 total viewers and 59,000 viewers in the demo. This resulted in a -3% drop in total viewers, but it rose by +2% in the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN finished in fourth place in total viewers and moved up by one place to No. 9 in the demo during primetime. It also finished in fourth place during the total day with total viewers and whent from No. 8 to No. 7 in the demo, tied with Comedy Central.