Here Are the Cable News Ratings for April 2026

Ratings

Though Fox News saw declines in total viewers and the demo, it still led both categories in April

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NASA’s historic Artemis II mission around the moon and the developments surrounding the Iran war and its economic fallout were some of the major stories in April. The newsy month resulted in CNN and MS NOW registering growth in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo, respectively, during primetime.

Fox News saw declines in total viewers and the Adults 25-54 demo during both dayparts; however, it still led those categories over competitors.

Fox News

According to Nielsen big data + panel, Fox News in April had 2.861 million total viewers in primetime and 284,000 viewers in the Adults 25-54 demo. During total day, it had 1.752 million total viewers and 172,000 viewers in the demo.

Compared to its March 2026 performance, Fox News was down by -4% in total viewers and -12% in the A25-54 demo during primetime viewing hours. While in total day, the network saw gains of -8% in total viewers and +13% in the demo when compared to the previous month.

Looking at Fox News’ performance against the same month in 2025, it grew by +10% in total viewers but dipped by -4% in the demo during primetime. While in total day, it had a +8% gain in total viewers, but fell by -15% in the demo—it was the only network within this yearly comparison to record declines in the demo.

The network finished April in first place among total viewers and was No. 4 in the demo during primetime. During total day, it remained in first place in total viewers and second in the demo.

MS NOW

MS NOW finished in second place in total viewers in primetime and total day, with 1.256 million and 747,000 viewers, respectively, in April. The network in the A25-54 demo had 135,000 viewers in primetime and 80,000 viewers during total day.

Compared to March, MS NOW was flat in total viewers but grew by +4% in the A25-54 demo during primetime. During total day, it was down by -1% in total viewers and was flat in the demo.

Looking at its performance in April 2025, MS NOW was up +4% in total viewers and +29% in the demo during primetime. It was also up +14% in total viewers and +29% in the demo during total day.

MS NOW continued to place in third during primetime and was No. 2 during total day with total viewers. It finished in 9th place in the demo during primetime and ranked seventh in the demo during total day.

CNN

During primetime in April, CNN had 910,000 total viewers and 157,000 A25-54 viewers. Looking at total day, the network had 600,000 total viewers and 92,000 demo viewers.

Compared to the previous month, CNN was up +1% in total viewers but declined by -10% in the demo during primetime. It was down by -6% in total viewers and -16% in the demo during total day.

When looking at its performance to the same month in 2025 during primetime, it was up by +75% in total viewers and +59% in the demo. In total day, CNN grew by +46% and +35% in total viewers and the demo, respectively.

CNN finished in the No. 5 position during primetime and was fourth during total day in total viewers. Its position in the demo saw it become the No. 6 cable network in primetime and in total day.

Looking at the April performance of the other news nets:

  • NewsNation – The network’s primetime viewership averaged 192,000 total viewers and 27,000 demo viewers, respectively. Cuomo was the top show for the network in total viewers and the demo with 310,000 and 43,000 viewers, respectively.
  • Fox Business – Varney & Company took the top spot in total viewers with 313,000, while Kudlow finished in first place in the demo with 15,000 viewers.
  • CNBC – Fast Money Halftime Report was the most-watched program in total viewers, with 277,000, and in the A25-54 demo, with 73,000 viewers.
  • Newsmax – Rob Schmitt Tonight was the net’s top show in total viewers with 362,000 viewers, and Carl Higbie Frontline finished in first place in the demo with 26,000 viewers.

PROGRAMMING

  • Fox News – The Five was the most-watched program in Total Viewers with 3.784 million at 5 p.m. ET, and Gutfeld! claimed the top spot in the advertiser-coveted demo of A25-54 with 349,000 viewers.
  • MS NOW – The most-watched show in total viewers and the demo continued to be The Rachel Maddow Show with 2.424 million and 278,000 viewers, respectively, at 9 p.m. ET on Mondays.
  • CNN – CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 was the network’s top performer in total viewers, with 1.214 million, and was the network’s No. 1 show in the A25-54 demo with 210,000 viewers.

Among Total Viewers

  1. The Five – Fox News – (3,784,000)
  2. Jesse Watters Primetime – Fox News – (3,603,000)
  3. Hannity – Fox News – (3,211,000)
  4. Gutfeld!  – Fox News – (3,028,000)
  5. Special Report with Bret Baier – Fox News – (2,982,000)
  6. The Ingraham Angle – Fox News – (2,838,000)
  7. The Rachel Maddow Show – MS NOW – (2,424,000)
  8. The Will Cain Show – Fox News – (2,312,000)
  9. Outnumbered – Fox News – (2,065,000)
  10. The Story with Martha MacCallum – Fox News – (2,054,000)
  11. America Reports – Fox News – (2,051,000)
  12. America’s Newsroom – Fox News – (2,038,000)
  13. The Faulkner Focus – Fox News – ( 2,002,000)
  14. Fox News @Night – Fox News – (1,729,000)
  15. The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell – MS NOW – (1,584,000)

Among Adults 25-54

  1. Gutfeld! – Fox News –  (349,000)
  2. Jesse Watters Primetime – Fox News – (335,000)
  3. The Five – Fox News – (329,000)
  4. Hannity – Fox News – (319,000)
  5. The Rachel Maddow Show – MSNBC – (278,000)
  6. Special Report with Bret Baier – Fox News – (272,000)
  7. The Ingraham Angle – Fox News – (254,000)
  8. Fox News @Night – Fox News – (215,000)
  9. Anderson Cooper 360 – CNN – (210,000)
  10. America Reports – Fox News – (203,000)
  11. The Will Cain Show – Fox News – (202,000)
  12. Outnumbered  – Fox News – (192,000)
  13. The Story with Martha MacCallum – Fox News – (191,000)
  14. The Faulkner Focus – Fox News – (190,000)
  15. America’s Newsroom – Fox News – (174,000)

April 2026 Cable News Ratings  (Nielsen Big Data + Panel):

Total Day

April’26 Cable Ranker P25-54 BDP by Adweek

Mark Mwachiro

Mark Mwachiro is a TVNewser contributor who has been writing for the blog since March 2022. Based out of New York, Mark has also contributed to ADWEEK. mark.mwachiro@adweek.com

Mark Mwachiro is a TVNewser contributor who has been writing for the blog since March 2022. Based out of New York, Mark has also contributed to ADWEEK.

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