September 2, 2026
(New York – Sept. 2, 2026) – With the 2026 midterm elections quickly approaching, audiences continue to turn to MS NOW for in-depth reporting, analysis, and perspective. In August, MS NOW delivered its ninth consecutive month of year-over-year viewership growth across its programming lineup, including a 28% increase among total viewers and a 52% increase among the Adult 25-54 demo in total day, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel ratings.
MS NOW continues to command one of the most engaged audiences in television, ranking as the #2 network on all of cable, ahead of ESPN, CNN, and more. According to MRI-Simmons, MS NOW reaches more than 38 million Americans across its linear and digital platforms.
In weekday primetime, MS NOW averaged 1.2 million total viewers and 105,000 demo viewers in August, up 25% among total viewers and 36% in the demo compared to August 2025. During weekday live programming (Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to midnight), MS NOW averaged 812,000 total viewers and 79,000 demo viewers, with year-over-year increases of 29% and 52%, respectively.
MS NOW Averages 1.2 Million Viewers in Primetime; August 4 Primary Coverage Draws 1.4 Million Viewers
"The Rachel Maddow Show" averaged 2.0 million total viewers and 169,000 demo viewers and continued to top CNN among both demos. Plus, “The Beat with Ari Melber” and “Deadline: White House” continued to post year-over-year increases while outperforming CNN among both total viewers and the demo.
MS NOW’s newest additions to primetime, “The 11th Hour with Ali Velshi” and "The Weeknight’s” new trio of anchors, drove year-over-year growth among total viewers and the demo. "The 11th Hour with Ali Velshi” averaged 678,000 total viewers, up 9% among total viewers and 13% in the demo. "The Weeknight” averaged 1.0 million total viewers in August, up 23% among total viewers and 30% in the demo. Both programs topped CNN among total viewers, while “The Weeknight” also topped CNN in the demo.
On Tuesday, August 4, audiences turned to MS NOW for special coverage of the closely watched primary elections in Kansas, Michigan, Virginia, Washington, and Missouri. From 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., MS NOW averaged 1.4 million total viewers and 205,000 demo viewers, topping CNN by 85% among total viewers and 31% among the demo.
“Morning Joe” and “Way Too Early with Ali Vitali” Continue to Outpace CNN Across Both Demos; “Morning Joe” Remains #1 in Washington, D.C.
"Morning Joe" averaged 733,000 total viewers in August, up 27% among total viewers and 39% in the demo year over year. “Morning Joe” more than doubled CNN’s total viewership and topped them in the demo. In August, "Morning Joe" remained the #1 cable morning program in Washington, D.C.
“Way Too Early with Ali Vitali” also posted year-over-year increases and topped CNN among both demos. “Money, Power, Politics with Stephanie Ruhle” continued to build on its launch earlier this summer, increasing its total audience by 24% and its demo audience by 49% from August 2025.
MS NOW’s New Dayside Lineup Delivers Double-Digit, Year-Over-Year Growth Among Total and Demo Viewers; “State of Play with Peter Alexander” Delivers Double-Digit Year-Over-Year Growth in First Month
MS NOW's dayside programming delivered some of the network’s largest year-over-year increases in August, averaging 636,000 total viewers, up 34% among total viewers and 85% among the demo versus August 2025.
This month, MS NOW expanded its dayside lineup with the launch of “State of Play with Peter Alexander.” The program averaged 580,000 total viewers, up 33% among total viewers and 69% in the demo, compared to August 2025. In the show’s first three weeks on air, key lawmakers and stakeholders have joined Alexander for headline-driving interviews, including Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Mass. Senator Ed Markey, and U.S. Cattlemen’s Association President Justin Tupper.
MS NOW’s dayside lineup continued to deliver strong performances with “On the Line with Alicia Menendez” and “The Moment with Katy Tur” increasing their audiences year over year. “On the Line” increased its total audience by 33% and its demo audience by 72% from August 2025. “The Moment with Katy Tur” delivered a 30% total audience increase and a 54% demo increase from August 2025.
MS NOW’s Weekend Programming Posts Double-Digit Year-Over-Year Growth Among Both Demos
MS NOW weekend programming averaged 449,000 total viewers in August, up 27% among total viewers and 64% among the demo year over year.
Across the weekend lineup, MS NOW continued to build audiences around its newest program, “Connect with Jacob Soboroff,” while established programs also posted year-over-year audience increases. In August, “Connect with Jacob Soboroff” averaged 487,000 total viewers, up 10% among total viewers and 22% among the demo year over year.
MS NOW Generates More YouTube Views in August Than Any Other News Organization; Continues to Record More Views Than ABC News, CBS News, and NBC News Combined
MS NOW continues to lead the pack as one of the most watched and most influential news organizations on non-linear platforms, recording over 3.5 billion combined views across YouTube and TikTok so far this year.
Year-to-date, MS NOW has recorded 2.3 billion YouTube views, more than ABC News (854 million), CBS News (345 million), and NBC News (724 million) combined.
MS NOW’s most viewed YouTube videos in August include: Chris Hayes’ reaction to the Michigan GOP primary; Stephanie Ruhle’s coverage of the USS Lincoln; Jen Psaki’s remarks on ABC’s lawsuit against the FCC and her segment on Natalie Harp; and Lawrence O’Donnell’s reaction to President Trump’s growing trade war with Canada.
MS NOW’s top TikTok videos in August include: Chris Hayes’ reaction to the Michigan GOP primary; Alex Tabet’s on-the-ground interviews with former Trump supporters in Ohio; Mika Brzezinski’s coverage of President Trump’s approval rating; Jackie Alemany’s reporting on President Trump’s plans to skip the 9/11 memorial; Jen Psaki’s appearance on “State of Play with Peter Alexander” to discuss Karoline Leavitt stepping down as White House press Secretary.
MS NOW users continue to spend more time on ms.now than on The Washington Post and NPR, and reaches more unique visitors than Politico, Axios, and The Atlantic. Year-to-date, consumers continue to spend more time on ms.now than any other political news site, ranking #1 in 2026.
Year-to-date, page views on MS NOW’s website and app are up 13% versus this time last year. Article page views are also up 23% year-over-year, driven in part by the expansion of MS NOW’s original reporting.
In August, the most-read pieces on ms.now include: Glenn Kessler’s op-ed on Karoline Leavitt; MaddowBlog on President Trump’s poll numbers; and Jake Traylor and Jackie Alemany’s reporting on Natalie Harp’s security clearance.
MS NOW Records More Than 10 Million Audio Downloads in August; Original Podcasts Up 38% Year Over Year
MS NOW generated more than 10 million total audio downloads in August, with downloads among MS NOW Originals up over 38% versus this time last year, driven by The Best People. Year to date, MS NOW has also recorded more than 92 million audio downloads.
“Morning Joe” was MS NOW’s most-downloaded podcast for the month with 2.1 million downloads, up 72% year-over-year.
“The Best People with Nicolle Wallace” recorded its best month on YouTube on record, driving 3.9 million views.
TV Source: Nielsen, Big Data + Panel, Live+SD, Persons 2+ and Adults 25-54. Total Day = M-Su 6 a.m. to 6 a.m.; Live Programming = M-F 5 a.m.-12 a.m.; Primetime = M-F 8 p.m.-11 p.m. August 2026: 7/27/26-8/30/26. Time period wins based on regularly scheduled programming. Primary coverage: Nielsen, Updated Big Data+Panel, Live+SD, Tuesday, 8/4/26. State of Play = 8/10-8/28/26 M-F 11A-12P Program avg vs. August 2025 program average. Updated Big Data + Panel. LPM = Washington, D.C., , P2+, M-F 6 a.m.-9 a.m.Weekly Reach = MRI-Simmons, Spring 2026 USA Survey, # of unique viewers, television networks watched in the past 7 days, websites visited or apps used in the last 30 days
Digital Sources: MS NOW YouTube data based on YouTube Studio Analytics, August 1 – August 31, 2026. YouTube video views. Competitor YouTube data from ListenFirst August 1 – August 31, 2026. Youtube Public Views . TikTok data based on ListenFirst, August 1 – August 31, 2026. TikTok video views. Audio data based on Simplecast Analytics, August 1 – August 31, 2026. YoY comparisons made through 8/31. Comscore Media Metrix® Multi-Platform, Desktop and Mobile, Total Minutes, Unique Visitors, January-July 2026, United States, News/Information – Politics and Custom competitive set (AXIOS.com, NPR, Politico, The Atlantic, WASHINGTONPOST.COM)
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