Fox News Leads Cable News Ratings for October 2025, Dominates Primetime Viewership

Fox News Channel maintained its position as the most-watched cable news network in October 2025, continuing a trend of leading primetime viewership throughout the year and significantly outpacing competitors MSNBC and CNN.

The network averaged 3.3 million primetime viewers Monday through Friday, making it the highest-rated network on television overall, including ABC, CBS, and NBC. Fox News also averaged 1.5 million total day viewers, compared to 504,000 for MSNBC and 388,000 for CNN. This sustained dominance allows Fox News to command higher advertising rates and influence the national conversation.

Several programs contributed to the network’s success, with “The Five” finishing as the No. 1 show on cable news with 3.7 million total viewers. “Gutfeld!” continued to outperform all late-night television programs, including “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.” “Special Report with Bret Baier” also gained ground, topping the evening news broadcasts in key markets like New York and Chicago, according to Nielsen ratings data. For more information on television ratings, visit Nielsen’s website.

Across key demographics, Fox News averaged 145,000 total day viewers aged 25-54, significantly higher than CNN’s 58,000 and MSNBC’s 45,000. Notably, both CNN and MSNBC experienced their lowest-rated Octobers in this demographic in years. The network also continues to dominate weekend viewership, defeating CNN and MSNBC by double to triple-digits. You can find more about cable news networks here.

Network officials stated they remain committed to delivering comprehensive coverage and analysis to their audience.