Fox News surpasses CBS in monthly prime-time ratings for the first time in 2026

Fox News Channel (FNC) reached February by surpassing CBS in the first viewing of the month, delivering one of its strongest monthly performances since March 2025.

Overall, FNC averaged 2.6 million total viewers in the Monday-Sunday primetime period compared to CBS’ 2.4 million viewers, the broadcast network’s lowest February performance since 2000. During the week, Fox News drew 3.1 million viewers and 316,000 in the desirable adults 25-52 million audience and 25-52 million viewers. 278,000 on demo. It was the first time in 2026 that FNC led CBS in both metrics.

Throughout the day, FNC brought in 1.7 million viewers and ranked at no. The network also listed all of the top 100 news stations for the month, with each program on its weekday list posting its best month since at least September.

Meanwhile, CBS posted its first weak month since the turn of the century with “CBS Evening News,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “CBS Mornings” all registering historically low February audiences. ABC also recorded its lowest February in the key demo for an early season this century.

FNC’s nightly newscast “Special Report with Bret Baier” averaged more than 3.1 million viewers and 289,000 in the 25-54 audience, its most-watched month since March 2025. The show topped “CBS Evening News” in 14 major markets including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and ABC Tonights in News’s DC, and Orleans Worlds as ABC Tonight, and Orleans. Jacksonville.

As television’s primetime show at 5 pm ET, “The Five” secured more than 4 million viewers and 337,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo, surpassing ABC’s “911 Nashville” and NBC’s “Happy’s Place.” At 8 pm ET, “Jesse Watters Primetime” led all primetime shows with 3.4 million viewers and 329,000 in the demo, just ahead of ABC’s “20/20.”

At night it remained a stronghold of FNC again. “Gutfeld!” continued to dominate both broadcast and cable, drawing more than 3 million viewers and 347,000 in the 25-54 audience, best-performing competitors including ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

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“Gutfeld!” went on to dominate late-night television, taking out CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (Fox Stories)

At 9 p.m., “Hannity” averaged 2.9 million and 286,000 viewers in the 25-54 audience, while “The Ingraham Angle” posted 2.9 million and 284,000 viewers in the demo as Ingraham continues to be one of the most-watched female hosts. At 11 p.m., “FOX News @ Night with Trace Gallagher” led the time with 1.8 million viewers.

Fox News’ morning lineup is always a ratings powerhouse. “FOX & Friends” finished February with 1.4 million viewers, maintaining its status as the No. 1 cable morning program in the 25-54 demo for the 60th consecutive month, beating CNN and MS NOW combined.

“FOX & Friends” also surpassed “CBS Mornings” in 20 major markets and beat ABC’s “Good Morning America” ​​and NBC’s “Today” in several key cities.

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Daytime programming continued to gain momentum, with “America’s Newsroom,” “Faulkner Focus,” “Counted In,” “America Reports” and “The Story with Martha MacCallum” all averaging 2 million viewers or more. “The Will Cain Show” continued to grow at 4 pm ET, drawing 2.3 million viewers.

“Jesse Watters Primetime” led all time with an average of 3.4 million viewers. (Fox News)

Fox News also dominated weekend viewership, winning every weekend hour in total viewers and beating CNN and MS NOW by double- to triple-digit margins in both categories. “Saturday in America with Kayleigh McEnany” led the weekend with 2.1 million viewers, while “Sunday Morning Futures” was cable’s most-watched show on Sunday with 1.9 million viewers. “My View with Lara Trump” was Saturday night’s top show with 1.5 million viewers.

During the weekend prime time, “Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy” drew 1.7 million viewers, followed closely by “Life, Liberty & Levin” and “One Nation with Brian Kilmeade” with 1.5 million viewers. “The Big Weekend Show” also drew 1.7 million viewers.

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This month, FNC averaged 1.719 million viewers and 168,000 viewers in the 25-54 audience throughout the day, up 19% and 18%, respectively, compared to January 2026. In prime time, FNC averaged 2.612 million viewers and 260,000 viewers, up 25-52%, to at 25-52% month over month.

Data courtesy of Nielsen Big Data + Panel.

Brian Flood of Fox News contributed to this post.

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