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CNN Sees Gains In Cable News Ratings

CNN showed growth in total viewers and the 25-54 demographic, according to Adweek. This boost comes amid recent news about the network's ownership and White House press access.

Original reporting · adweek.com

Original: “Week of Oct. 5 Cable News Ratings: CNN Up in Both Measurements”

Read “Week of Oct. 5 Cable News Ratings: CNN Up in Both Measurements” at Adweek →
Week of Oct. 5 Cable News Ratings: CNN Up in Both Measurements
Image: Adweek

How this was written. Message Verified wrote this article with a language model from Adweek’s reporting (model: @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast); it describes that reporting rather than adding to it. The original, linked above, is the full story.

Key points from Adweek’s report

  • CNN saw gains in total viewers and the 25-54 demographic during primetime and total day, according to Adweek.
  • MS NOW experienced declines across the board, despite some strong showings from its programs.
  • Fox News remained the most-watched network, with a strong performance in primetime demo growth.

CNN experienced a notable increase in viewership, with gains in both total viewers and the 25-54 demographic during primetime and total day, Adweek reported. This growth is significant, especially given the network's recent headlines about its new ownership and White House press ban. CNN's progress has allowed it to close the gap with other networks in the demographic.

The network's performance was strong enough to narrow the difference with MS NOW to just 1,000 viewers in total day, according to the latest ratings. This change in rankings reflects the shifting landscape of cable news viewership. CNN's gains are a positive sign for the network, which has been in the news for various reasons.

MS NOW, on the other hand, saw declines across the board, despite some positive showings from its programs, such as The Rachel Maddow Show. The network's performance was mixed, with some shows drawing large audiences. However, overall, MS NOW experienced a decline in viewership.

Fox News remained the most-watched network by a wide margin, with a strong showing in primetime demo growth. The network's performance was solid, although it did experience some declines in total viewers. Fox News continues to be a major player in the cable news landscape.

The latest ratings from Nielsen big data + panel for the week of October 5 provide insight into the performance of the major cable news networks. The data shows that each network had its strengths and weaknesses. The ratings are closely watched by the industry, as they provide a snapshot of the current state of cable news.

CNN's growth was also evident in its yearly comparison, with significant increases in total viewers and the demographic. The network's performance was strong, with gains in both primetime and total day. This growth is a positive sign for CNN, which has been working to expand its audience.

The programming lineup for each network played a role in their performance, with Fox News holding many of the top spots. The network's shows, such as The Five, drew large audiences. However, MS NOW's The Rachel Maddow Show was able to take the top spot in the 25-54 demographic, showing that the network still has strong programming.

Questions and answers

Which network saw gains in total viewers and the 25-54 demographic?

CNN experienced growth in both total viewers and the demographic, according to Adweek.

What was the performance of MS NOW in the latest ratings?

MS NOW saw declines across the board, despite some positive showings from its programs.

Which network remained the most-watched, and what was its performance?

Fox News remained the most-watched network, with a strong showing in primetime demo growth, although it did experience some declines in total viewers.

Read the full story at Adweek More from Monday, October 19, 2026’s edition