However, the week was not entirely devoid of silver linings for MS NOW. The network’s schedule remains anchored by a few powerhouse programs that continue to outperform the competition. The Monday, October 5 airing of The Rachel Maddow Show at 9 p.m. ET was a standout, securing the title of the most-watched program in all of cable news for that evening in terms of total viewers. Furthermore, the network’s morning franchise, Morning Joe, continued to demonstrate its dominance during the 6 a.m. ET hour. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the program led the field in both total viewers and the 25-54 demographic, proving that MS NOW remains a formidable force in the early hours of the day.
Fox News Maintains Dominance Despite Mixed Results
Fox News remains the undisputed heavyweight of the cable news sector, though its performance during the week of October 5 showed some internal divergence. The network averaged 1.6 million total viewers in primetime, more than the combined primetime audience of CNN and MS NOW. While its total primetime viewership was down 2% compared to the week beginning September 28, the network saw a 4% increase in the 25-54 demographic, averaging 145,000 viewers.
In the total day category, Fox News remained flat, averaging 1.07 million total viewers and 94,000 viewers in the demo. Despite the slight dip in primetime total viewers, which caused the network to drop from second to third place in total viewership among all basic cable networks, it remained the number one network in total day viewers. In the total day demo, Fox News secured a fifth-place finish among all cable channels.
The network’s "bright spot," as noted by industry analysts, was this specific growth in the primetime demo. In an era where linear television is fighting to retain younger viewers, a 4% weekly gain is a significant indicator of the network’s ability to mobilize its base and attract the demographic most valued by advertisers.
A Closer Look at the Programming Leaderboard
The battle for individual program supremacy highlighted the different strengths of the three networks. Fox News continued to dominate the top tier of the charts, occupying 12 of the top 15 spots for the most-watched cable news shows of the week. The Five remained the crown jewel of the Fox lineup, averaging 2.649 million total viewers in its 5 p.m. ET slot.
However, MS NOW’s Rachel Maddow proved that she is still a singular force in cable news. Her Monday night broadcast not only ranked as the sixth most-watched show of the week with 1.779 million viewers but also managed to dethrone The Five in the Adults 25-54 demographic. Maddow’s Monday airing drew 252,000 demo viewers, edging out The Five’s average of 239,000 viewers to take the number one spot for the week.
