NewsNation’s unexpected outperformance came during a period marked by elevated viewership due to breaking coverage of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The network, which rebranded from WGN America in March 2021, aims to serve as an alternative to traditional cable news giants like CNN and MSNBC. The NewsNation Special Report at 8 p.m., anchored by senior national correspondent Brian Entin, garnered 44,000 viewers in the advertiser-coveted 25-54 demographic.

This Saturday evening special report notably exceeded CNN’s Real Time with Bill Maher’s 38,000 viewers and MSNBC’s The Weekend Primetime’s 32,000 viewers, marking a first-time victory for NewsNation over both CNN and MSNBC in this demographic during a single hour.

Sean Compton, President of Nexstar Networks, NewsNation’s parent company, informed Forbes, “NewsNation is attracting a younger audience, which signals that the next generation is choosing us as their preferred news source. We’ve remained loyal to our mission of delivering unbiased news, and it’s proving effective.” However, at 8 p.m., NewsNation still lagged behind in total viewership, averaging only 170,000 compared to MSNBC’s 384,000 and CNN’s 548,000.

NewsNation’s prime time broadcast, which included a special on Charlie Kirk’s assassination, experienced a 300% increase in viewership compared to the network’s year-to-date average for that time slot. The special provided confirmation that Kirk was not wearing a bulletproof vest during the incident and included a report indicating that the FBI’s facial recognition software had identified the suspect before the killing occurred.

NewsNation’s 8 p.m. achievement wasn’t the night’s sole triumph, as the network also succeeded in other time slots. At 7 p.m., NewsNation Prime with Natasha Zouves attracted 34,000 demo viewers, outperforming CNN Newsroom’s 29,000. Additionally, at 11 p.m., NewsNation’s Special Report brought in 29,000 viewers in the demo, surpassing MSNBC’s 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle’s taped episode, which had just 18,000 viewers. Despite Fox News maintaining the top spot for overall viewership on Saturday night across total and key demo viewers, NewsNation’s progress remains significant, considering its relative infancy and limited distribution. The network, which implemented a full 24/7 news schedule in 2024, has consistently grown. As reported by Forbes, in August, NewsNation and Fox News were the only major cable news outlets to increase their audiences year-over-year compared to the previous period.

NewsNation’s total day audience increased by 14 percent, while CNN and MSNBC suffered steep declines at 46 percent and 51 percent, respectively. With an average total day viewership of 50,000, NewsNation still trails Newsmax with 137,000, CNN with 333,000, MSNBC with 502,000, and Fox News at 1.448 million, according to Forbes. But it has now posted eight consecutive months of double-digit growth, establishing itself as the fastest-growing cable news network. Compton said the continued ratings momentum ‘reaffirms our commitment to delivering unbiased news coverage, a mission that resonates deeply with our viewers, fostering their trust in the brand, and strengthening their loyalty to NewsNation.’

Meanwhile, CNN and MSNBC continue to face broader institutional challenges. MSNBC is set to be spun off by Comcast and rebranded as My Source News Opinion World (MS NOW) later this year, ending the use of its iconic peacock logo. The network also drew criticism last week after it dismissed political analyst Matthew Dowd, who suggested Kirk was responsible for his own death. 

CNN however, is still grappling with fallout from a January defamation verdict that resulted in a multimillion-dollar judgment. A jury found the network falsely portrayed a Navy veteran involved in evacuating Afghan allies during the U.S. withdrawal as an ‘illegal profiteer,’ awarding the plaintiff $5 million in damages plus an undisclosed amount in punitive compensation.