CNN vs Fox News vs MSNBC (now called MS NOW) is a comparison of three US cable news networks with different owners, formats and audiences. Fox News, owned by Fox Corporation, drew the largest audience in the third quarter of 2026. MS NOW, owned by Versant, was second in total viewers. CNN, now part of Skydance, was third in total viewers but ahead of MS NOW among adults 25–54 in prime time. All three are on major live-TV services, and each sells its own streaming plan as of October 2026.
This guide sets the facts side by side: who owns each network, how its day is built, what it costs to stream and what independent research says about its audience. It does not rank them. Which one fits you depends on what you want from a news channel.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
- Fox News drew the largest audience in Q3 2026, with MS NOW second in total viewers.
- CNN, owned by Skydance since October 2026, was ahead of MS NOW among adults 25–54 in prime time.
- Each network sells its own streaming plan, and all three are on major live-TV services.
CNN vs Fox News vs MSNBC at a glance
| CNN | Fox News | MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launched | 1980 | 1996 | 1996 (as MSNBC) |
| Owner (October 2026) | Skydance, after its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery closed Oct. 6, 2026 | Fox Corporation | Versant, spun off from Comcast in January 2026 |
| Direct streaming plan | CNN All Access, $6.99/month | FOX One, $19.99/month at launch | MS NOW membership, $7.99/month |
| Q3 2026 prime-time viewers (Nielsen) | 608,000 | 2,064,000 | 933,000 |
| Q3 2026 prime-time adults 25–54 | 101,000 | 183,000 | 84,000 |
Ratings figures are Nielsen Big Data + Panel averages for the third quarter of 2026, as reported by Adweek’s TVNewser. Prices are as of October 2026 and can change.
Ownership: three different corporate homes
All three networks changed hands or structure within the past year or so, except Fox News.
In the CNN vs Fox News vs MSNBC matchup, ownership is where the three have changed most since 2025.
CNN
CNN was founded in 1980 and was part of Warner Bros. Discovery until recently. Skydance’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery closed on October 6, 2026, putting CNN and CBS News under one parent company, Al Jazeera reported. Mark Thompson remains CNN’s editor-in-chief. Thompson has said CNN’s role inside the new company is still being worked out.
Fox News
Fox News Channel launched in 1996. It is part of Fox Corporation, which also owns the FOX broadcast network, Fox Business and FOX Sports. Fox News is the only one of the three whose ownership did not change in 2025 or 2026.
MS NOW
MSNBC launched in 1996 as a venture between Microsoft and NBC. In 2025, Comcast moved most of its cable networks into a new company called Versant. The network split from NBC News on October 6, 2025, and became MS NOW on November 15, 2025, according to NewscastStudio. Versant began trading as an independent company on January 5, 2026, and also owns CNBC, USA Network and Golf Channel.
Format: how CNN, Fox News and MSNBC build their day
All three networks follow a similar pattern. Mornings and daytime lean on news anchors and live coverage. Evenings lean on host-driven shows with analysis and commentary. The tables below show each network’s weekday schedule from its own published lineup. Times are Eastern, and schedules change.
Looking at CNN, Fox News and MSNBC (now MS NOW) by format shows more similarities than differences during the day.
CNN weekday highlights
| Time (ET) | Program |
|---|---|
| 6–7 a.m. | CNN This Morning with Audie Cornish |
| 5–7 p.m. | The Lead with Jake Tapper |
| 7 p.m. | Erin Burnett OutFront |
| 8 p.m. | Anderson Cooper 360 |
| 9 p.m. | The Source with Kaitlan Collins |
| 10 p.m. | NewsNight with Abby Phillip |
Source: CNN’s published weekday lineup (January 2025 announcement). CNN’s daytime is anchored by CNN News Central and The Situation Room.
Fox News weekday highlights
| Time (ET) | Program |
|---|---|
| 6–9 a.m. | FOX & Friends |
| 5 p.m. | The Five |
| 6 p.m. | Special Report with Bret Baier |
| 7 p.m. | The Ingraham Angle |
| 8 p.m. | Jesse Watters Primetime |
| 9 p.m. | Hannity |
| 10 p.m. | Gutfeld! |
Source: Fox News program schedule. Fox News’s daytime is anchored by America’s Newsroom and America Reports.
MS NOW weekday highlights
| Time (ET) | Program |
|---|---|
| 6–9 a.m. | Morning Joe |
| 4–6 p.m. | Deadline: White House |
| 6 p.m. | The Beat with Ari Melber |
| 8 p.m. | All In with Chris Hayes |
| 9 p.m. | The Rachel Maddow Show (Mon.); The Briefing with Jen Psaki (Tue.–Fri.) |
| 10 p.m. | The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell |
Source: MS NOW lineup announcement (March 2026, effective June). MS NOW’s daytime includes programs led by Stephanie Ruhle, Alicia Menendez and Katy Tur.
Audience: CNN, Fox News and MSNBC by the numbers
Ratings
In the third quarter of 2026, Nielsen data reported by Adweek showed this order in total viewers, both in prime time and across the full day: Fox News, MS NOW, then CNN. Among adults 25–54, the group advertisers value most, the order in prime time was Fox News, CNN, then MS NOW.
| Q3 2026 (Nielsen Big Data + Panel) | CNN | Fox News | MS NOW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total day, total viewers | 426,000 | 1,321,000 | 592,000 |
| Total day, adults 25–54 | 61,000 | 121,000 | 56,000 |
| Prime time, total viewers | 608,000 | 2,064,000 | 933,000 |
| Prime time, adults 25–54 | 101,000 | 183,000 | 84,000 |
Linear TV ratings do not capture streaming, website or social video audiences, so they show only part of each network’s reach.
Who watches, by party
Pew Research Center surveyed 9,482 US adults in March 2025 about where they get news. Its report found that audiences for these networks split along party lines. The figures below are the ones Pew stated in its report text.
| Pew, March 2025 | CNN | Fox News | MSNBC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republicans who regularly get news there | 20% | 57% | Not stated in text |
| Democrats who regularly get news there | 48% | 18% | 33% |
On trust, Pew reported that 58% of Democrats trust CNN, while 58% of Republicans distrust it. It found that 56% of Republicans trust Fox News, while 64% of Democrats distrust it. For MSNBC, Pew said more than four in ten Democrats trust it. Pew also found that Fox News viewers had a median age of 55 and CNN viewers a median age of 50, compared with 47 for all US adults.
These are measures of who watches and trusts each network. They are not ratings of accuracy. For details, read Pew’s full report.
How to watch CNN, Fox News and MSNBC without cable
| Option (as of October 2026) | CNN | Fox News | MS NOW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct plan | CNN All Access, $6.99/mo or $69.99/yr | FOX One, $19.99/mo at launch (includes FOX network and sports) | MS NOW membership, $7.99/mo or $79.99/yr |
| Sling TV | Sling Orange, from $45.99/mo | Sling Blue, from $45.99/mo | Sling Blue, from $45.99/mo |
| YouTube TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hulu + Live TV | Yes | Yes | Yes |
CNN notes that All Access video may differ from what airs on CNN TV. FOX One costs more but bundles the FOX broadcast network and FOX Sports channels. The MS NOW membership launched in September 2026 on the web and mobile apps. Our guides to the CNN live stream, Fox News live stream and MS NOW live stream cover each in detail.
Streaming is the easiest way to sample CNN, Fox News and MSNBC side by side before you commit to one.
Coming soon: the NewsLive streaming app. We’re building one subscription for live international news on Android, Roku, Fire TV and desktop. The service is under development — follow NewsLive for launch updates.
CNN, Fox News or MSNBC: which fits you?
Rather than pick a winner, match the network to how you watch.
There is no single winner in CNN vs Fox News vs MSNBC; it depends on the shows and hosts you want.
- If you want to follow one host’s evening show, check the schedules above and pick the network that airs it. Prime time on all three is built around named hosts.
- If cost matters most, CNN All Access and the MS NOW membership each cost under $8 a month. FOX One costs more but adds sports and the FOX network.
- If you want more than one, Sling splits them across two plans, while YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV carry all three.
- If you want a range of views, many viewers sample more than one network. Pew’s research shows each network draws more heavily from one party.
For broader options, including free channels, see how to watch news without cable.
Frequently asked questions
Is MSNBC the same as MS NOW?
Yes. MSNBC was renamed MS NOW on November 15, 2025, after it separated from NBC News. It is the same channel position on cable and streaming services, now owned by Versant.
Which cable news network has the most viewers?
Fox News had the most viewers in the third quarter of 2026, both in prime time and across the day, according to Nielsen data reported by Adweek. MS NOW was second in total viewers, and CNN was second among adults 25–54 in prime time.
Who owns CNN now?
CNN is owned by Skydance, following the close of its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery on October 6, 2026. CBS News is part of the same company.
Can I stream CNN, Fox News and MSNBC (MS NOW) without cable?
Yes. Each sells its own plan: CNN All Access, FOX One and the MS NOW membership. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV carry all three. On Sling, CNN is on Orange and the other two are on Blue.
Which is cheapest to stream?
As of October 2026, CNN All Access was $6.99 a month and the MS NOW membership was $7.99 a month. FOX One launched at $19.99 a month but also includes the FOX network and FOX Sports channels.
Do CNN, Fox News and MSNBC show the same shows outside the US?
Not always. CNN runs a separate international channel, and its All Access plan expanded to the UK and Canada in October 2026. For options abroad, see our guide to watching US news outside the US.
Sources
- Adweek TVNewser: Q3 2026 cable news ratings
- Al Jazeera: CNN, CBS News under one roof as merger closes
- Versant: Begins trading as independent company
- NewscastStudio: What happened to MSNBC?
- Fox News: Program schedule
- CNN Pressroom: New weekday schedule
- Versant Pressroom: MS NOW new lineup
- Pew Research Center: The political gap in Americans’ news sources
- Pew Research Center: Audiences by age
- CNN: Subscription plans
- TV Tech: FOX One pricing
- NewscastStudio: MS NOW membership
- NewscastStudio: CNN All Access in UK and Canada
- Sling TV: Compare plans
- YouTube TV: Compare plans
- Hulu: Live News
