TV News Ratings: March 2026

Evening News:: ABC, NBC, and CBS saw fluctuations. CBS and NBC experienced gains in total viewers and the key Adults 25-54 demographic during the week of March 30. ABC still led but NBC closed the gap in the key demo.

Cable News:: Fox News, CNN, and MS NOW all saw increases in total viewers in March, driven by news surrounding the Iran conflict. Fox News maintained its lead, while CNN and MS NOW also showed growth.

Trump's Address:: CBS News won the ratings battle on April 1 during Donald Trump's primetime address regarding the Iran War, surpassing ABC and NBC in both total viewers and the key demo.

Why This Matters:: TV news ratings reflect audience engagement with current events and can indicate the effectiveness of different networks in attracting and retaining viewers. These shifts can influence advertising revenue and network strategy.

ABC's *World News Tonight* averaged 8.598 million total viewers and 1.071 million in the Adults 25-54 demo, remaining flat in total viewers but down 1% in the key demo compared to the previous week.

NBC's *Nightly News* drew 6.703 million total viewers and 1.046 million in the 25-54 demo, up 6% in total viewers and 13% in the demo from the previous week, closing in on ABC.

CBS's *Evening News* averaged 4.149 million total viewers and 571,000 in the key demo, up 6% in total viewers and a notable 28% in the demo compared to the previous week.

Fox News averaged 2.994 million total primetime viewers and 323,000 in the demo, up 15% and 24% respectively from February.

MS NOW averaged 1.262 million primetime viewers, up 11% from February, with 130,000 in the demo (down 1%).

CNN averaged 898,000 total primetime viewers and 175,000 in the demo, up 11% and 14% respectively from February.

CBS: 4.914 million total viewers and 1.343 million Adults 25-54.

NBC: 4.419 million total viewers and 860,000 Adults 25-54.

ABC: 3.473 million total viewers and 803,000 Adults 25-54.

Q: What factors influenced TV news ratings in March 2026?

Q: Which network led in primetime cable news ratings for March 2026?

TV news ratings are dynamic and influenced by major events.

CBS and NBC saw growth in evening news viewership during the week of March 30.

Fox News, CNN, and MS NOW all benefited from increased viewership due to coverage of the Iran conflict in March.

CBS News had a strong showing during President Trump's primetime address on April 1.