For three cable news networks -- MS Now, CNN and NewsNation -- July
viewing climbed amid mounting interest in the midterm political election news season.
Collectively, the top five cable TV news networks' viewership was up 10% this month to 4.4 million
prime-time viewers, according to Nielsen data (versus 4.0 million in July 2025).
Fox News Channel, the longtime cable TV news network leader, slipped 4% in July 2026 in prime time viewers to
2.3 million (versus 2.4 million a year ago), according to Nielsen.
Fox’s total day viewing was at 1.49 million for July 2026, virtually even with the July 2025 total of 1.53 million.
In second place among all cable TV networks, MS Now grew 16% to 1.0 million versus 865,000 in July 2025, with total day viewing at 633,000 viewers versus 530,000 in July 2025.
Fourth-place
CNN rose 32% to 658,000 prime-time viewers, up from 497,000 a year ago, while total day viewing rose to 463,000 versus 370,000 a year ago.
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NewsNation, ranked in 47th place, spiked 32% to
141,000 prime-time viewers (versus 107,000 a year ago). Newsmax, in 31st place, lost 11% to a total of 202,000 prime-time viewers versus 228,000 a year ago.
Total day viewing went in the same
direction for NewsNation and Newsmax. NewsNation now has 68,000 viewers -- higher than 55,000 a year ago -- while Newsmax has 126,000 -- down from 146,000 last year.