The first three months of 2026 were quite eventful in the news media world. Fox News, CNN, MS NOW, and NewsNation all saw ratings increases due to several events.
Between military action in Venezuela and Iran, as well as President Trump’s State of the Union address, cable news ratings were up during the months of January, February, and March.
Fox News Dominates
For the full quarter, Fox News averaged 1.7 million viewers in the total day category. In primetime, that figure rose to 2.7 million. It marked the 97th consecutive quarter that the network earned the top spot in the cable news ratings in primetime viewership.
The network earned 14 of the top 15 programs in cable news, with a 23% increase quarter-over-quarter in total day viewership.
In primetime, the network saw a 25% increase compared to the prior quarter, averaging 2.6 million.
The Five remained the most popular program in cable news. For the quarter, the show averaged 4 million viewers.
MS NOW Sees Resurgence
Elsewhere, MS NOW also saw a double-digit increase in total day viewership. The network averaged 691,000 total day viewers. That figure represents a 23% increase compared to the prior quarter.
In primetime, MS NOW averaged 1.1 million viewers, up 25% compared to 2025’s final quarter.
In weekday prime, the average audience jumps to 1.4 million total viewers. That marks its largest average audience since late 2024.
Best Quarter Since 2022 at CNN
One of the largest jumps in total day and primetime viewership were at CNN. During the first quarter, CNN saw a 42% increase in total day viewership, up to 577,000.
In primetime viewership, the network saw even bigger gains. On average, 797,000 total viewers tuned into CNN between 8 and 11 PM ET. That marks a 54% increase compared to the final quarter of 2025.
The first quarter of 2026 was CNN’s best overall quarter since the same quarter in 2022. That quarter was also aided by a surge in viewership tied to military action, as Russia began its war in Ukraine.
Triple-Digit Growth at NewsNation
The month of March was also a positive one for NewsNation. In primetime, the network saw an 85% increase in total viewership compared to the same month in 2025. It averaged 191,000 total viewers for the month during the daypart. In the total day viewership category, it saw an 87% increase, up to 101,000.
Cuomo remains the network’s biggest show. It averaged 289,000 total viewers in March. That is a 65% increase in overall viewers compared to March 2025.
Every program at NewsNation between the hours of 6 AM and 11 PM ET saw double or triple-digit growth during March.
Business News Also Sees Uptick
The ratings surge wasn’t limited only to networks focusing on news. Business networks also saw an increase in viewership during the first quarter.
At Fox Business Network, it was the second-highest-rated quarter on record. The network averaged 249,000 total viewers in the business day (M-F, 9:30-5 PM ET) window.
Additionally, The Big Money Show saw its best finish in program history. It averaged 224,000 viewers during the quarter, up 29%. That program airs from 12-2 PM ET.
In total day viewership, Fox Business averaged 148,000 total viewers.
CNBC, meanwhile, saw an average of 224,000 total viewers during the business day window. In total day viewership, the network averaged 142,000 overall viewers.
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