In a striking shift for the cable news landscape, Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN all experienced significant viewership drops in the third quarter of 2025, according to data from Nielsen Media Research reported by Adweek. The declines, which reached as high as 42% in some metrics compared to the same period in 2024, signal a challenging period for the industry’s leading networks as they navigate changing viewer habits and evolving media consumption trends.
Fox News, long a dominant force in cable news, maintained its position at the top despite the downturn. The network averaged 2.483 million total primetime viewers and 243,000 viewers in the Adults 25-54 demographic during Q3 2025. For total day viewership, Fox News recorded 1.568 million total viewers and 159,000 in the demo. Compared to Q2 2025, the network saw a 6% decline in total primetime viewers and a steeper 20% drop in the demo. Total day figures showed a 4% decrease in total viewers and a 21% decline in the demo. When compared to Q3 2024, the numbers were even more stark, with a 9% dip in total primetime viewers and a 34% plunge in the demo. Total day viewership remained flat overall but saw a 26% drop in the demo. Despite these losses, Fox News extended its streak as the most-watched cable news network to 95 consecutive quarters, securing the top spot in primetime total viewers and second place in the demo, while leading in total day viewers and placing second in the demo.
MSNBC faced even more pronounced declines during the same period. The network averaged 802,000 total primetime viewers and just 66,000 in the Adults 25-54 demographic. For total day, MSNBC recorded 492,000 total viewers and 41,000 demo viewers. Compared to Q2 2025, primetime viewership fell by 20% in total viewers and 27% in the demo, a drop attributed in part to anchor Rachel Maddow’s transition to hosting her show only once a week. Total day numbers reflected a 17% decline in total viewers and a 28% drop in the demo. The year-over-year comparison was particularly grim, with primetime viewership plummeting 46% in total viewers and 64% in the demo compared to Q3 2024. Total day figures showed a 45% decline in total viewers and a 59% drop in the demo. As a result, MSNBC’s rankings slipped, moving to third place in primetime total viewers and dropping from 15th to a tie for 20th in the demo alongside Investigation Discovery. For total day, the network fell from second to third in total viewers and slid three spots to 14th in the demo.
CNN also struggled to retain its audience in Q3 2025, averaging 538,000 total primetime viewers and 87,000 in the demo. Total day viewership stood at 396,000 total viewers and 61,000 demo viewers. Compared to Q2 2025, CNN’s primetime viewership remained flat in total viewers but fell 17% in the demo, while total day saw a 2% dip in total viewers and a 14% decline in the demo. The year-over-year comparison painted a bleaker picture, with primetime viewership down 42% in total viewers and 58% in the demo compared to Q3 2024. Total day numbers reflected a 29% decline in total viewers and a 45% drop in the demo. In the rankings, CNN placed fifth in primetime total viewers and tied for 10th in the demo with Discovery Channel and Nick at Nite. For total day, the network climbed one spot to fourth in total viewers but held steady at sixth in the demo, tied with the Food Network.
The sharp declines across all three networks highlight a broader trend in the cable news industry, as audiences increasingly turn to alternative platforms for information and entertainment. The data suggests that even industry leaders like Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN are not immune to the pressures of a rapidly changing media environment, where digital and streaming options continue to reshape viewer preferences. As the networks head into the final quarter of 2025, they face the challenge of adapting to these shifts while striving to reclaim their audiences.
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