In a year marked by shifting viewer habits and fierce competition, Fox News has once again emerged as the dominant force in cable news, posting year-over-year gains in September 2025 and securing its position atop the ratings for an astonishing 95 consecutive quarters, according to Nielsen data reported by Deadline and other industry sources. While Fox News enjoyed modest growth, its main rivals, MSNBC and CNN, experienced steep declines in both overall viewership and the coveted 25-54 demographic, highlighting the ongoing volatility and challenges facing the cable news landscape.
Fox News averaged 2.54 million viewers in primetime during September 2025, a 1% uptick from the same period a year earlier. This growth, though modest, stands in sharp contrast to MSNBC’s 43% plunge to 810,000 average primetime viewers and CNN’s 36% drop to 543,000. The story was similar across the full broadcast day: Fox News posted 1.61 million total viewers, up 13% from last year, while MSNBC and CNN saw their total day audiences shrink by 44% and 26%, respectively.
However, the picture looks different among adults aged 25-54, the demographic most prized by advertisers. Here, even Fox News saw declines, averaging 280,000 viewers in primetime for September, down 14% year-over-year. CNN and MSNBC were hit even harder, with the former dropping 52% to 87,000 and the latter tumbling 59% to just 68,000 in the same demo. Across the full day, Fox News averaged 179,000 in the 25-54 demo (down 7%), compared to CNN’s 62,000 (down 37%) and MSNBC’s 45,000 (down 54%).
These numbers are particularly striking given that 2024 was an election year, a period that typically brings a surge in cable news viewership. As a result, the year-over-year comparisons are especially harsh for MSNBC and CNN, whose audiences have not only failed to sustain the election-year momentum but have also eroded at a rapid pace. According to Deadline, “all the major news networks saw declines in September and Q3” among adults 25-54, underscoring a broader trend of audience fragmentation and shifting consumption habits.
Fox News’ programming lineup continues to drive its ratings dominance. In September, The Five was the top show on cable news, averaging 3.9 million viewers, followed by Jesse Watters Primetime (3.47 million), Hannity (3.08 million), Special Report with Bret Baier (3.04 million), and Gutfeld! (2.9 million). Among adults 25-54, Hannity led with 391,000 viewers, trailed by The Five (380,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (376,000), Gutfeld! (339,000), and Special Report (322,000). These figures, provided by Nielsen via Fox News, highlight the network’s ability to consistently deliver blockbuster audiences, even as overall cable news viewership contracts.
MSNBC’s top performer in September was the once-a-week The Rachel Maddow Show, averaging 1.87 million viewers. CNN’s leading program was Arena with Kasie Hunt, which drew an average of 652,000 viewers. In the third quarter, Anderson Cooper 360 was CNN’s most-watched show, averaging 616,000 total viewers, while The Rachel Maddow Show also led MSNBC’s lineup with 1.842 million viewers. This shift to weekly programming for Maddow, as noted by industry analysts, has contributed to MSNBC’s viewership declines, as regular viewers have fewer opportunities to tune in.
Looking at the broader quarterly trends, Fox News averaged 2.48 million total primetime viewers and 243,000 in the 25-54 demo for Q3 2025, down 9% and 34%, respectively, from the previous year. MSNBC’s primetime audience averaged 802,000 (down 46%) with 66,000 in the demo (down 64%), while CNN averaged 538,000 (down 42%) and 87,000 (down 58%) in those categories. During the total day, Fox News remained flat in total viewers at 1.57 million but saw a 26% drop in the demo to 159,000. MSNBC posted 492,000 total day viewers (down 45%) and 41,000 in the demo (down 59%), while CNN had 396,000 total day viewers (down 29%) and 61,000 in the demo (down 45%).
Despite these declines, Fox News’ streak of ratings dominance is now nearly a quarter-century strong. As reported by Nielsen Media Research, “Fox News’ domination at the top of cable news now grows to 95 consecutive quarters.” Not only does Fox News lead the cable news pack, but it also outpaces broadcast competitors, finishing ahead of both CBS and ABC in primetime total viewers during Q3 2025.
Among up-and-coming competitors, NewsNation distinguished itself with year-over-year growth. The network averaged 118,000 primetime viewers in September, up 23% from the previous year, and 14,000 in adults 25-54, up 8%. Its top show, Cuomo, averaged nearly 200,000 viewers. In total day, NewsNation’s audience grew 35% to 62,000, with a 43% increase in the 25-54 demo to 10,000. These gains, though from a smaller base, suggest that newer entrants may be finding ways to attract viewers disillusioned with the traditional big three.
Other cable news and business networks also saw mixed results. Fox Business’s top show, Kudlow, averaged 261,000 viewers in Q3 2025, while CNBC’s Squawk on the Street led its network with 176,000 total viewers and 37,000 in the demo. Newsmax’s Rob Schmitt Tonight was the network’s top show with 367,000 viewers, but Newsmax itself was down 15% in total viewers and 14% in the demo compared to the previous quarter.
Despite the overall declines, some programs maintained impressive reach. In Q3 2025, Fox News’ The Five averaged 3.7 million viewers, with Jesse Watters Primetime (3.34 million), Gutfeld! (2.94 million), Hannity (2.89 million), and Special Report with Bret Baier (2.86 million) rounding out the top five. In the 25-54 demo, The Five led with 338,000, followed by Jesse Watters Primetime (323,000), Gutfeld! (320,000), Hannity (305,000), and Special Report (280,000). MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 remained their networks’ strongest performers, but their numbers trailed far behind Fox News’ juggernauts.
It’s clear the cable news landscape is in flux. Fox News continues to lead, but even it is not immune to the broader challenges posed by changing viewer habits, cord-cutting, and the rise of digital platforms. For MSNBC and CNN, the dramatic year-over-year declines underscore the need to adapt quickly or risk further erosion of their once-loyal audiences. Meanwhile, upstarts like NewsNation are quietly chipping away, hoping to seize the moment as the old order shifts. For now, though, the numbers tell a simple story: Fox News remains the undisputed heavyweight of cable news, even as the ring itself grows more unpredictable with each passing quarter.
