Fox News maintained its commanding lead in July’s cable news ratings. CNN posted modest gains while competitors delivered mixed monthly results.
What We Know: Fox News once again dominated cable news in July, with The Five finishing as the most-watched program on cable television by averaging 3.3 million viewers. Jesse Watters Primetime also cleared the 3 million viewer mark, reinforcing the network’s strength during weekday evenings. Although Fox News held steady in primetime compared to June, the rest of the industry produced a mixed performance. CNN improved its primetime audience month-over-month, while NewsNation declined after posting gains earlier this year. Meanwhile, total day viewing softened for most networks as summer viewing patterns continued.
What the Numbers Show:
Primetime Viewership (July 2026 vs. June 2026)
| Network | July 2026 | June 2026 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox News | 2.3M | 2.3M | ➖ 0.0% |
| MS NOW | 1.0M | 1.0M | ➖ 0.0% |
| CNN | 658K | 628K | 🟢 ▲ 4.8% |
| Newsmax | 202K | 198K | 🟢 ▲ 2.0% |
| NewsNation | 141K | 156K | 🔴 ▼ 9.6% |
Primetime Viewership (July 2026 vs. July 2025)
| Network | July 2026 | July 2025 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox News | 2.3M | 2.4M | 🔴 ▼ 4.2% |
| MS NOW | 1.0M | 865K | 🟢 ▲ 15.6% |
| CNN | 658K | 500K | 🟢 ▲ 31.6% |
| Newsmax | 202K | 228K | 🔴 ▼ 11.4% |
| NewsNation | 141K | 108K | 🟢 ▲ 30.6% |
Total Day Viewership (July 2026 vs. June 2026)
| Network | July 2026 | June 2026 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox News | 1.5M | 1.6M | 🔴 ▼ 6.3% |
| MS NOW | 633K | 655K | 🔴 ▼ 3.4% |
| CNN | 463K | 500K | 🔴 ▼ 7.4% |
| Newsmax | 126K | 198K | 🔴 ▼ 36.4% |
| NewsNation | 68K | 80K | 🔴 ▼ 15.0% |
Total Day Viewership (July 2026 vs. July 2025)
| Network | July 2026 | July 2025 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox News | 1.5M | 1.5M | ➖ 0.0% |
| MS NOW | 633K | 535K | 🟢 ▲ 18.3% |
| CNN | 463K | 373K | 🟢 ▲ 24.1% |
| Newsmax | 126K | 150K | 🔴 ▼ 16.0% |
| NewsNation | 68K | 57K | 🟢 ▲ 19.3% |
What Remains Unclear: It’s still too early to determine whether CNN’s primetime momentum will continue beyond the summer or if July represents a temporary bump driven by the news cycle. Likewise, NewsNation’s monthly decline may prove short-lived as networks prepare for heavier political coverage later this year. Total day viewing also tends to fluctuate during the summer, making longer-term trends more meaningful than a single month’s results.
What It Means: Fox News continues to set the pace across cable news, even without posting month-over-month growth in primetime. At the same time, CNN’s gains suggest the network is finding opportunities to grow during major news events. MS NOW remained comfortably in second place, while Newsmax and NewsNation continue competing for audience share outside the industry’s top three. With political coverage expected to intensify in the coming months, August and September ratings should offer a clearer picture of which networks are building sustainable momentum.
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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.