This is TVNewser’s basic cable network ranker and cable news report for the week of May 18, 2026.
With the approaching Memorial Day holiday weekend, the cable news networks delivered a variety of results during primetime and total day.
All three recorded week-to-week gains in either total viewers or the Adults 25-54 demo during primetime, while Fox News was the only network to grow in either category during the total day.
NETWORKS:
According to Nielsen big data + panel for the week of May 18, Fox News averaged 2.260 million total viewers and 207,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime. The network was down -1% in total viewers but grew by +2% in the demo compared to the week prior (the week beginning May 11).
During total day viewing, Fox News averaged 1.501 million total viewers and 138,000 A25-54 viewers. Based on its average from the previous week’s measurements, the network saw gains of +2% in total viewers but registered a -3% decline in the demo.
Fox News slipped to second in total primetime viewership and remained third in demo viewership among all basic cable networks. During total day, it finished first in total viewers and was No. 2 in the total day demo.
MS NOW averaged 918,000 total viewers and 81,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo for the week that just concluded. The network was up +2% in total viewers but was down -7% in the demo compared to its primetime average the week prior.
During total day, MS NOW averaged 578,000 total viewers and 56,000 demo viewers. It was down -1% in total viewers and -10% in the demo compared to the network’s average the week prior.
Among all basic cable networks, MS NOW remained third in total primetime viewers and dropped to 17th in the demo. It finished in third place in total viewers and slipped to 11th from ninth in the total day demo.
CNN averaged 598,000 total primetime viewers and 108,000 A25-54 viewers during primetime for the week of May 18. The network declined by -10% in total viewers but increased its viewership by +4% in the demo compared to the previous week.
During total day, the network had 439,000 total viewers and 67,000 viewers in the demo. CNN declined by -2% in total viewers and -3% in the demo during this daypart.
Among all cable networks, CNN remained in fifth in total viewers and 10th in the demo during primetime. It was No. 4 in total day among total viewers and slipped from seventh to eighth in the demo.
When looking at these networks’ performance during the same period a year ago:
- During primetime, Fox News was down by -7% in total viewers and -18% in the A25-54 demo. During total day, the network posted losses of -4% in total viewers and -21% in the demo—the only network with declines within this yearly comparison.
- MS NOW was up +16% in total viewers and +35% in the demo. During total day, the network was up +10% in total viewers and +24% in the demo.
- In primetime, CNN grew by +55% in total viewers and +64% in the demo. During total day, it rose by +27% in total viewers and +20% in the demo.
PROGRAMMING:
Fox News had 13 out of the 15 spots of the most-watched cable news shows of the week, with The Five on top with 3.543 million total viewers at 5 p.m. ET. MS NOW was represented in the chart by The Rachel Maddow Show, which airs only on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET and ranked eighth with 1.863 million total viewers. The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, airing weeknights at 10 p.m. ET, was the other MS NOW show in the chart with 1.359 million total viewers at No. 15.
The Five also finished first in the Adults 25-54 demo, averaging 324,000 viewers at 9 p.m. ET on weeknights. Fox News held 13 of the 15 top spots in the demo, with MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show landing in 8th place with 163,000 demo viewers. CNN was represented in the chart at No. 14 by CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, airing weeknights at 10 p.m. ET, with 150,000 demo viewers.
May 18, 2026 (Nielsen Big Data + Panel):
Prime Time
Fox News MS NOW CNN • Total Viewers: 2,260,000 918,000 598,000 • A25-54: 207,000 81,000 108,000
Total Day
Fox News MS NOW CNN • Total Viewers: 1,501,000 578,000 439,000 • A25-54: 138,000 56,000 67,000
Week 5-18-26 Cable Ranker P25-54 BDP by Adweek
