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

By Todd Spangler

Todd Spangler

NY Digital Editor

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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%.

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