# Broadcast Networks Lead Midterm Election Night Viewers

> NBC and ABC dominate 2026 election night TV ratings with broadcast networks gaining viewers over cable.
- Title: Broadcast Networks Lead Midterm Election Night Viewers
- Summary: NBC and ABC dominate 2026 election night TV ratings with broadcast networks gaining viewers over cable.
- Keywords: midterm elections, broadcast networks, nbc news, abc, election night coverage, tv ratings, nielsen ratings, 2026 elections, The Hollywood Reporter
- Source: The Hollywood Reporter — https://hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/broadcast-networks-nbc-midterm-elections-tv-ratings-1236749456
- Author: Rick Porter
- Published: 2026-11-06T23:18:41+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: midterm elections, broadcast networks, nbc news, abc, election night coverage, tv ratings, nielsen ratings, 2026 elections
## Broadcast Networks Lead Election Night Viewers
For the first time in 6 election cycles, more people watched network TV than cable during 2026 midterm elections.
## Nielsen Ratings Show Broadcast Dominance
31.21 million viewers watched primetime election coverage on 13 broadcast and cable outlets versus 25.43 million in 2022.
## Broadcast Networks Capture 57 Percent Share
57 percent of viewers (17.79 million) watched on broadcast outlets versus 43 percent (13.42 million) on cable channels.
## NBC Leads Election Night Ratings
NBC had 6.74 million viewers in primetime, doubling its 2022 average and finishing first among networks.
## ABC and CBS Improve Ratings
ABC grew by 57 percent to 5.19 million viewers while CBS improved by 8 percent to 2.76 million viewers.
## Fox News Tumbles in Viewership
Fox News lost almost 3.5 million viewers compared to 2022, but the big three networks gained more viewers than Fox lost.
## Cable Declines Across the Board
Homes with multi-channel providers now represent 42.5 percent of TV homes down from 52.3 percent four years ago.
## NBC's Tech Innovation Wins
NBC's Kornacki Cam live stream was the most watched election coverage stream with 4.39 million hours of viewing.
## Key takeaway

NBC and ABC led 2026 election night TV viewership with 31.21 million people watching broadcast networks versus 25.43 million in 2022.