Cable news’ YouTube dominance took a step back in the second quarter of 2026. Every major television network posted a decline in video views compared to the first quarter. Fox News led all outlets during the window.
What We Know: While Fox News led all outlets in second-quarter YouTube video views, its total dropped sharply from the first quarter. MS NOW held onto second place, followed by CNN, ABC News, NBC News, and CBS News. Meanwhile, every network on the list saw its numbers fall.
What the Numbers Show:
| Network | Q2 ’26 YouTube Video Views |
|---|---|
| Fox News | 1.1 billion |
| MS NOW | 763 million |
| CNN | 511 million |
| ABC News | 337 million |
| NBC News | 310 million |
| CBS News | 136 million |
| Network | Q2 ’26 Views | Q1 ’26 Views | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox News | 1.1 billion | 1.5 billion | 🔴↓ -26.7% |
| MS NOW | 763 million | 974 million | 🔴↓ -21.7% |
| CNN | 511 million | 707 million | 🔴↓ -27.7% |
| ABC News | 337 million | 440 million | 🔴↓ -23.4% |
| NBC News | 310 million | 364 million | 🔴↓ -14.8% |
| CBS News | 136 million | 194 million | 🔴↓ -29.9% |
What’s At Stake: YouTube has become a critical distribution platform for news brands chasing younger, digitally native audiences. Therefore, a sustained decline could signal weakening relevance at a time when traditional viewership already skews older. Additionally, advertisers increasingly rely on video view counts to gauge a brand’s reach and influence. If the slide continues into the third quarter, networks may need to rethink their content strategies and posting cadence.
What It Means: The across-the-board drop suggests broader audience fatigue rather than a problem unique to any single network. However, NBC News posted the smallest percentage decline, which could hint at stronger retention strategies. Ultimately, the numbers reflect an industry still searching for stability in a fragmented media landscape. Networks that adapt quickest to shifting viewer behavior will likely fare best moving forward.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.