This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of April 6, 2026.
The Friday return of Artemis II’s 10-day excursion around the moon and the latest news in the War with Iran helped deliver week-to-week gains for all three cable news networks in primetime across total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo.
CNN benefited greatly from its Artemis II coverage on Friday evening as it was the most-watched cable network in the prized demo between 7 and 11:30 p.m. ET (477,000 A25-54 viewers). However, between 7:30 p.m. and 8:29 p.m. ET, Fox News was the second-most-watched network on television, with 5 million total viewers, trailing ABC News. During primetime hours, 8-11 p.m. ET, Fox News had more total viewers than CNN and MSNBC combined.
CNN and MS NOW ended the week without viewership losses. Fox News declined in demo viewers for total day.
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of April 6, Fox News averaged 3.05 million total viewers and 312,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was up +10% in total viewers and +4% in the demo compared to the week prior (the week beginning March 30).
During total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.808 million total viewers and 177,000 A25-54 viewers. Based on its average from the previous week’s measurements, the network grew by +5% in total viewers but lost -1% in the demo.
Fox News continued to rank first in total primetime viewership and fourth in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. During total day, it finished first in total viewers and rose back to No. 2 in the total day demo from No. 3.
MS NOW averaged 1.281 million total viewers and 146,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network was up +2% in total viewers and +11% in the demo compared to its primetime average the week prior.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 767,000 total viewers and 82,000 demo viewers. It was up +2% in total viewers and was flat in the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior.
Among all basic cable networks, MS NOW moved from fourth to third in total primetime viewers and remained in eighth in the demo. It stayed in second place in total viewers and seventh in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 1.181 million total primetime viewers and 216,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for the week of April 6. The network was up by 46% in total viewers and +60% in the demo compared to the previous week.
During total day, the network had 660,000 total viewers and 107,000 viewers in the demo. CNN grew by +10% in total viewers and +14% in the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN finished fourth, up from sixth, in total viewers. It moved from seventh to fifth in the demo during primetime. It climbed one spot to No. 3 in total day among total viewers and again moved up one spot to fifth in the demo.
When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago:
- During primetime, Fox News was up by +12% in total viewers but was down by -3% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network posted gains of +7% in total viewers but fell by -17% in the demo—the only network with declines within this yearly comparison.
- MS NOW was up by +7% in total viewers and +45% in the demo. During total day, the network was up +15% in total viewers and +30% in the demo.
- In primetime, CNN grew by +102% in total viewers and +91% in the demo. During total day, it rose by +50% in total viewers and +39% in the demo.
PROGRAMMING:
Fox News had 13 out of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with Jesse Watters Primetime rising to the top with 4.1 million total viewers at 8 p.m. ET. MS NOW was represented in the chart by The Rachel Maddow Show, airing only on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET, which ranked 10th with 2.23 million total viewers. CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, airing weeknights at 8 p.m. ET, drew 1.863 million total viewers, placing 15th.
Jesse Watters Primetime, which airs weeknights at 8 p.m. ET on Fox News, also finished No. 1 in the Adults 25-54 demo, averaging 413,000 viewers. Fox News held 11 of the 15 top spots in the demo, with CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, airing weeknights at 8 p.m. ET, earning a top four placement, finishing fourth with 351,000 viewers. MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show, airing only on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET, landed in ninth place with 241,000 demo viewers. CNN had two other shows in the chart: Erin Burnett OutFront, airing weeknights at 7 p.m. ET, was in 10th place with 237,000 demo viewers, and CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, airing weeknights at 10 p.m. ET, was No. 15 with 196,000 demo viewers.
April 6, 2026 (Nielsen Big Data + Panel):
Prime Time
Fox News MS NOW CNN • Total Viewers: 3,050,000 1,281,000 1,181,000 • A25-54: 312,000 146,000 216,000
Total Day
Fox News MS NOW CNN • Total Viewers: 1,808,000 767,000 660,000 • A25-54: 177,000 82,000 107,000