Fox News Ratings Sink a Staggering 27% in October, but It Still Has Much a Larger Audience Than CNN or MS NOW

In the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections, Fox News lost more than a quarter of its overall viewing audience in the month of October, according to new data. That said, the network remains the most-watched news outlet on cable, well ahead of rivals CNN and MS NOW.

For October 2026, Fox News is on track to post its lowest-rated month in total-day viewers since December 2023, according to preliminary figures from Nielsen, first reported by Status. FNC averaged 1.1 million total viewers for the month, down 27%, and 98,000 viewers in the key 25-54 demographic coveted by advertisers, a drop of 32%.

The ratings decline comes amid a continuation of the drop-off in TV viewers overall. As Variety has reported, Fox News on many nights draws a bigger live audience than one or more broadcast TV networks. But its viewership, like those of MS NOW and CNN, is steadily eroding: In the third quarter of 2026, Fox News saw total-day viewership decline 16%, and viewership in the 25-54 demo fall 24%. Both CNN and MS NOW saw small gains in overall audience for Q3.

Variety has reached out to Fox News for comment.

In primetime, Fox News averaged about 2 million total viewers (down 28% year over year) in October, with viewers in the 25-54 demo falling 36% to 183,000, according to the Nielsen data. “Fox & Friends” had its second consecutive month below 1 million total viewers and under 100,000 in the key demo, with October representing its lowest overall viewers since July 2015 (and its lowest in the 25-54 demographic since June 2001).

Meanwhile, progressive rival MS NOW saw its daytime audience rise 16% to 588,000 total viewers in October, and CNN viewership was up 3% to 402,000 viewers over the same timeframe, according to the preliminary Nielsen figures.

Some observers detect a worrisome sign in Fox News’ ratings decline that conservatives are tuning out at rates faster than CNN or MS NOW as the fight for control of the Senate and House of Representatives will be up for grabs on Election Day next week, Nov. 3.

President Donald Trump — whose feelings about Fox News run hot and cold — recently complained that the network has not been backing Republicans strongly enough.

“Fox spends more time defending Dumocrats, and putting on their views versus their Republican opponent, than at any time in the History of FoxNews,” Trump wrote in an Oct. 19 post on Truth Social. “It’s ridiculous! FoxNews is trying too hard to be Politically Correct!”