Fox News Channel dominated cable television in the second quarter of 2026, averaging 1.6 million total day viewers and leading all basic cable networks, according to ratings data released by the network. The channel was the only basic cable option to surpass the one-million viewer benchmark, far outpacing competitors such as ESPN, MSNBC, and CNN.
In primetime, Fox News averaged 2.5 million viewers, securing the top spot in all of basic cable by a wide margin. ESPN, which benefited from a sports-heavy quarter, finished second with 1.7 million average viewers. MSNBC managed 1.1 million, while CNN settled for 711,000. Fox News has now ranked No. 1 in primetime viewership for 98 consecutive quarters, a streak dating back to the first quarter of 2002.
During the month of June, Fox News averaged 2.6 million weekday primetime viewers, outperforming both NBC and CBS. The network also led in total day viewership among Hispanic, Asian, and upscale audiences for both the second quarter and the month of June.
Fox News attracted nearly 60 percent of cable news viewers across both total day and primetime. Among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults ages 25 to 54, Fox News averaged 149,000 total day viewers, compared to 75,000 for CNN and 67,000 for MSNBC. In primetime, Fox News averaged 230,000 demo viewers, outdrawing CNN’s 120,000 and MSNBC’s 107,000 combined.
Throughout the second quarter, Fox News delivered 13 of the top 15 shows on cable news. Programs such as «The Ingraham Angle,» «Jesse Watters Primetime,» «Hannity,» and «FOX News @ Night with Trace Gallagher» led their respective time slots. «Special Report with Bret Baier» drew more than 2.7 million viewers and 245,000 in the 25–54 demo, beating «CBS Evening News» in 18 major markets including New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
«Gutfeld!» continued its strong performance, averaging 2.8 million viewers and 299,000 adults ages 25–54 during the 10 p.m. ET hour. The show outperformed every broadcast late-night program, including CBS’s «The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,» NBC’s «The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,» and ABC’s «Jimmy Kimmel Live!»
«The Five» remained the highest-rated show in cable news for a 19th consecutive quarter, extending its record as the first non-primetime program to achieve that milestone. «FOX & Friends» also held its position as the most-watched morning lineup in cable news for the second quarter.
On weekends, Fox News maintained its lead. Kayleigh McEnany’s «Saturday in America,» «Fox News Live,» «The Big Weekend Show,» and «My View with Lara Trump» performed strongly, with the latter becoming the most-watched show in weekend primetime. «FOX News Saturday Night with Jimmy Failla» and «Life, Liberty & Levin» each drew approximately 1.3 million viewers. Maria Bartiromo’s «Sunday Morning Futures» was the top-rated weekend show with 1.9 million viewers. «The Sunday Briefing,» hosted by Peter Doocy and Jacqui Heinrich, earned 1.6 million viewers, while «Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy» averaged 1.7 million. «Life, Liberty & Levin» and «One Nation with Brian Kilmeade» each attracted 1.5 million viewers.
The ratings reflect Fox News’s continued dominance in cable news viewership, extending trends seen in previous quarters.
