# Cable News Ratings for October 2026

> MS NOW and CNN lead cable news ratings as Fox News declines.
- Title: Cable News Ratings for October 2026 · Adweek | Shortify
- Summary: MS NOW and CNN lead cable news ratings as Fox News declines. MS NOW topped CNN in Adults 25-54 viewers for the first time in 14 years during October 2026…
- Keywords: ms now, cnn, fox news, cable news, viewership, adults 25-54, nielsen big data, cable news ratings, october 2026, Adweek
- Source: Adweek — https://adweek.com/tvnewser/cable-news-ratings-october-2026
- Author: Mark Mwachiro
- Published: 2026-11-04T22:28:14+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ms now, cnn, fox news, cable news, viewership, adults 25-54, nielsen big data, cable news ratings, october 2026
## MS NOW Tops CNN in Adults 25-54
MS NOW made history by surpassing CNN in the Adults 25-54 demo during weekend live programming for the first time in 14 years since November 2012.

> MS NOW had 50,000 vs. CNN’s 48,000 demo viewers
## MS NOW Gains Viewership
MS NOW increased total viewers by 10% and Adults 25-54 demo viewers by 20% in primetime compared to September 2026.
## Fox News Declines
Fox News reported a 2% drop in total viewers and 7% decline in Adults 25-54 demo viewers during primetime compared to September 2026.
## Year-Over-Year Decline
Fox News saw a 28% drop in total viewers and 36% decline in Adults 25-54 demo viewers year-over-year in October 2026.
## CNN Gains Viewership
CNN grew by 11% in total viewers and 19% in Adults 25-54 demo viewers during primetime compared to September 2026.
## Fox News Performance
Fox News finished October in second place among total viewers and fourth in the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime, while leading in total viewers during total day.
## MS NOW Performance
MS NOW ranked second among news networks in total viewers with 925,000 and 588,000 viewers during total day in October 2026.
## CNN Performance
CNN finished sixth in primetime and fifth in total day among all cable networks in total viewers with 598,000 and 402,000 viewers in October 2026.
## Key takeaway

MS NOW topped CNN in Adults 25-54 viewers for the first time in 14 years during October 2026, while Fox News saw year-over-year declines in both total viewers and the demo.