Fox News

‘Special Report’ and ‘FOX & Friends’ Lead CBS News in Major Markets Across the Country

CNN and MSNBC Sink to Record Lows Throughout October

‘Gutfeld!’ Reigns Supreme in Late-Night as ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ Shrinks to Historic Lows

NEW YORK – October 29, 2025 – FOX News Channel (FNC) continued its dominant run throughout October leading all broadcast networks with weekday primetime viewers in 2025. Since the start of the year, FNC has averaged 3,281,000 viewers in Monday-Friday primetime, making it the highest-rated network in all of television, besting ABC (3,251,000 viewers), CBS (3,099,000 viewers) and NBC (3,096,000 viewers).

For the month of October, FNC delivered 2.3 million primetime viewers (8-11 PM/ET) according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel. Across total day, FNC drew 1.5 million viewers. FNC commanded 63% of the cable news share with viewers across total day and 64% in primetime. FNC was also number one in cable news with Asians, Hispanics and upscale viewers throughout total day during October.

CNN and MSNBC both marked historic lows throughout October dating back decades. Across total day, CNN averaged just 58,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo, its worst October ever and highlighting the overwhelming lack of audience and connection to the brand. In weekday primetime, CNN drew 555,000 viewers, its second lowest October on record. Additionally, The Source with Kaitlan Collins (84,000 A25-54), Laura Coates Live (64,000 A25-54) and Anderson Cooper 360 (83,000 A25-54) all posted their worst October ever in the demo for CNN. MSNBC posted its lowest-rated October since 1997 with just 45,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo across total day. It also lagged to its worst October since 1999 in the 25-54 demo in weekday primetime with just 90,000 viewers.

As the number one show on television at 5 PM/ET, The Five secured a staggering 3.7 million viewers and 304,000 in 25-54 demo in October, surpassing NBC’s Law and Order: SVU (3.5 million viewers) and ABC’s 9-1-1: Nashville (3.3 million viewers). At 8 PM/ET Jesse Watters Primetime led all of primetime commanding 3.1 million viewers and 295,000 in the 25-54 demo, outpacing broadcast shows including CBS’s The NFL Today (2.9 million viewers) and ABC’s Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (2.8 million viewers).

FNC’s hit late-night program Gutfeld! continued to dominate all of late-night television, securing 2.8 million viewers, 325,000 in the 25-54 demo and 207,000 in the 18-49 demo during October. Gutfeld! once again surpassed ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2.1 million viewers), CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2.1 million viewers), NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1.2 million viewers), NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers (800,000 viewers) and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show (440,000 viewers). Notably, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert saw its worst October ever in the 25-54 demo (283,000 viewers) and the 18-49 demo (196,000 viewers)

FNC’s Hannity remained dominant at 9 PM/ET with 2.6 million viewers and 251,000 in the 25-54 demo. Additionally, The Ingraham Angle (weeknights, 7 PM/ET) posted 2.6 million viewers and 235,000 in the 25-54 demo, with Laura Ingraham continuing her reign as the highest rated woman in cable news. At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night led its timeslot with 1.5 million viewers.

The network’s nightly newscast Special Report with Bret Baier (weeknights, 6 PM/ET) averaged over 2.8 million viewers and 249,000 in the 25-54 demo, continuing to close the gap with the broadcast competition. In October, Special Report led CBS Evening News in 19 top markets across the country including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. The show also beat ABC’s World News Tonight in nine markets including New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Florida, and St. Louis and outrates NBC’s Nightly News in New York, Boston and San Antonio.

FNC’s signature morning show FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) finished the month with 1.3 million viewers and remained the number one cable news program in the mornings with both categories for 56 consecutive months in 25-54 demo, beating CNN and MSNBC combined in viewers, per usual. FOX & Friends led CBS Mornings in 24 major markets throughout October including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston and Washington DC. FOX & Friends also topped ABC’s Good Morning America in 15 markets including Washington DC, Baltimore and New Orleans and defeated NBC’s The Today Show in six markets including Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina during October.

FNC’s daytime lineup continued to crush the competition, led by two-hour morning news program America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET), which saw 2 million viewers and 181,000 in the 25-54 demo. The Faulkner Focus at 11 AM/ET, anchored by Harris Faulkner, notched 1.9 million viewers and demo with Outnumbered at 12PM/ET earning 2 million viewers and 210,000 in the demo. America Reports with John Roberts and Sandra Smith garnered 1.9 million viewers and from 1-3 PM/ET. Martha MacCallum’s The Story (weekdays, 3 PM/ET) averaged 1.9 million viewers. Additionally, The Will Cain Show continued to grow the timeslot at 4 PM/ET seeing 2.2 million viewers. In fact, every single FNC daytime show between 9 AM – 5 PM/ET outpaced broadcast offerings like, NBC’s Today Third Hour (1,866,000 viewers), NBC’s Today with Jenna & Friends (1,342,000 viewers) and ABC’s GMA3 (1,283,000 viewers).

FNC also continued to excel against the competition throughout the weekend for the month, winning every hour with total viewers and 25-54 demo, defeating CNN and MSNBC by double to triple-digits among both categories on both days. On Saturdays, Saturday in America with Kayleigh McEnany (Saturday 10 AM – 12 PM/ET) was the most watched cable news show of the day drawing 1.4 million viewers. FOX & Friends Weekend (6-10 AM/ET) followed with 1.2 million viewers. Life, Liberty & Levin (weekends, 8 PM/ET) was the top cable news show in primetime with 1.1 million viewers.

On Sundays, FNC’s Sunday Morning Futures earned the most-watched cable news show of the weekend, garnering 1.6 million viewers. Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy was the top cable news show in primetime with 1.3 million viewers. At 11 AM/ET, newly launched The Sunday Briefing, anchored by Peter Doocy and Jacqui Heinrich, averaged 1.3 million viewers. The Big Weekend Show nabbed 1.2 million viewers, while One Nation with Brian Kilmeade (Sunday, 10 PM/ET) closed the month with 1.1 million viewers.

OCTOBER 2025 VIEWERSHIP & 25-54 DEMO (Monday-Sunday, Live + Same Day):

TOTAL DAY

FNC: 1,514,000 total viewers and 146,000 A25-54 (down 6% with viewers and down 31% with A25-54 vs. October 2024)

CNN: 390,000 total viewers and 59,000 A25-54 (down 27% with viewers and down 41% with A25-54 vs. October 2024)

MSNBC: 507,000 total viewers and 45,000 A25-54 (down 44% with viewers and down 53% with A25-54 vs. October 2024)

PRIMETIME (8-11P)

FNC: 2,333,000 total viewers and 228,000 A25-54 (down 15% with viewers and down 36% with A25-54 vs. October 2024)

CNN: 504,000 total viewers and 77,000 A25-54 (down 39% with viewers and down 56% with A25-54 vs. October 2024)

MSNBC: 815,000 total viewers and 73,000 A25-54 (down 41% with viewers and down 54% with A25-54 vs. October 2024)

OCTOBER RATINGS FOR THE TOP FIVE PROGRAMS IN CABLE NEWS:

Total Viewers: The Five (3,692,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (3,073,000), Gutfeld! (2,825,000), Special Report (2,768,000), Hannity (2,567,000)

Adults 25-54: Gutfeld! (325,000), The Five (304,000), Jesse Watters Primetime (295,000), Hannity (251,000), Special Report (249,000)

Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel. Month of October 2025 ratings data. Average audience for cable news networks Monday-Sunday based on Total Day and Prime (6a-6a, 8P-11P), P2+, P25-54. Cable News/Broadcast Program averages exclude repeats and include the corresponding program name.

FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service and has been the number one network in basic cable for the last nine years and the most-watched television news channel for more than 23 consecutive years, currently attracting nearly 70% of the cable news viewing audience according to Nielsen Media Research. Notably, Nielsen/MRI Fusion has consistently shown FNC to be the network of choice for more Democrat and Independent viewers, with the most politically diverse audience in cable news. A 2024 Pew Research Center study found that more Americans named FNC as their main source for political news than any other network while a 2023 New York Times/Siena College poll found FNC as the leading single source of news for voters across the country. Owned by Fox Corporation, FNC is available in more than 60 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top 10 programs in the genre.

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FOX News Media Contact:

Connor Smith: Connor.Smith@fox.com or 212-301-3879