Highest-rated television programs in the United States based on ratings data as of Sunday, January 4, 2026. See the extended program ratings ranking.
Highest-rated television channels in the United States based on ratings data as of Sunday, January 4, 2026. See the extended network ratings ranking.
| Rank | Network | Audience | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NBC | 17,212,000 | 5.33 | +2007% |
| 2 | CBS | 7,436,000 | 2.30 | +445% |
| 3 | FOX | 6,090,000 | 1.89 | +874% |
| 4 | Fox News | 2,652,000 | 0.82 | +7% |
| 5 | ESPN | 2,040,000 | 0.63 | +22% |
| 6 | ABC | 1,859,000 | 0.58 | -88% |
| 7 | MS NOW | 915,000 | 0.28 | -28% |
| 8 | TNT | 750,000 | 0.23 | -8% |
| 9 | HGTV | 623,000 | 0.19 | -19% |
| 10 | TBS | 602,000 | 0.19 | -18% |
| 11 | CNN | 573,000 | 0.18 | -19% |
| 12 | Hallmark | 527,000 | 0.16 | -35% |
| 13 | CW | 440,000 | 0.14 | +37% |
| 14 | Food Network | 423,000 | 0.13 | -21% |
| 15 | USA Network | 413,000 | 0.13 | -39% |
| 16 | TLC | 412,000 | 0.13 | -24% |
| 17 | INSP | 406,000 | 0.13 | -27% |
| 18 | History | 404,000 | 0.13 | -38% |
| 19 | Discovery | 370,000 | 0.11 | -36% |
| 20 | TV Land | 336,000 | 0.10 | -10% |
| 21 | GSN | 303,000 | 0.09 | -9% |
| 22 | ESPN2 | 295,000 | 0.09 | +3% |
| 23 | Bravo | 271,000 | 0.08 | -38% |
| 24 | AMC | 270,000 | 0.08 | -15% |
| 24 | ID | 270,000 | 0.08 | -37% |
| 26 | A&E | 267,000 | 0.08 | -22% |
| 27 | FX | 263,000 | 0.08 | -23% |
| 28 | Hallmark Mystery | 260,000 | 0.08 | -31% |
| 29 | FS1 | 258,000 | 0.08 | -17% |
| 30 | Lifetime | 247,000 | 0.08 | -27% |
| 31 | Newsmax | 235,000 | 0.07 | -20% |
| 32 | Nick at Nite | 222,000 | 0.07 | +7% |
| 33 | Paramount | 218,000 | 0.07 | -36% |
| 34 | Freeform | 211,000 | 0.07 | +6% |
| 35 | We TV | 205,000 | 0.06 | -32% |
| 36 | Oxygen | 202,000 | 0.06 | -28% |
| 37 | TruTV | 187,000 | 0.06 | +43% |
| 38 | BET | 186,000 | 0.06 | -29% |
| 39 | Syfy | 181,000 | 0.06 | -31% |
| 40 | Comedy Central | 173,000 | 0.05 | -11% |
| 41 | Reelz | 168,000 | 0.05 | -43% |
| 42 | Adult Swim | 167,000 | 0.05 | -20% |
| 42 | Nat Geo | 167,000 | 0.05 | -27% |
| 44 | NFL Network | 162,000 | 0.05 | +12% |
| 45 | MTV | 144,000 | 0.04 | -36% |
| 46 | IFC | 143,000 | 0.04 | -8% |
| 47 | LMN | 140,000 | 0.04 | -12% |
| 48 | Travel Channel | 132,000 | 0.04 | -32% |
| 49 | Sundance TV | 130,000 | 0.04 | -28% |
| 50 | E! | 126,000 | 0.04 | -20% |
Based on universe estimates as of the 2024-2025 season. See the full 2025 DMA ranking.
I have been tracking a few shows (General Hospital, Young and Restless, Bold and Beautiful, Days of Our Lives). All of them have *precipitous* drops (of about 1 million) in the P2+ rating as 2015 becomes 2016. Was there a big change in measurement at that time? Is there any accepted formula to coalesce the metrics?
Everyone here should be watching Cartoon Network/Adult Swim. They've been improving their schedule. Gumball, The Looney Tunes Show, Regular Show, Adventure Time, Dexter's Lab, Ed Edd n Eddy, Billy and Mandy, Courage The Cowardly Dog, Samurai Jack, King Of The Hill, Bob's Burgers, Rick and Morty, Boondocks, Smiling Friends, YOLO, Space Ghost Coast To Coast, Sailor Moon, Naruto, Dragon Ball, One Piece, Primal, and Unicorn Warriors Eternal have been airing often. Great shows.
We keep telling people to cut Cartoon Network some slack, but they won't listen. They're just going to endlessly use that channel's Christmas 2017 schedule to crap on anything Cartoon Network did after the TTG spam that lasted only one week. At this point, I won't be surprised if come next TTG Spam week, people will just continue to throw negative comments over Cartoon Network regardless.
Grow up, people. Stop watching cartoons, playing video games all day and wearing pajamas out in public and learn how to be adults!!! Be men, not babies.
They canceled "The People's Court"??? Who's the IDIOT that made that decision??? OMG! COME ON! STUPID STUPID STUPID...BAD DECISION!!!
Why no network numbers? Why are you delaying the numbers? What is the problem? Are you going to do what you did once before because the numbers did not fit your agenda?
When are we expecting the release of the 2023-24 DMA rankings list?
The person who made the comment below mine...MJ Luna...should understand the numbers posted on here are based on Nielson ratings...not USTVDB. Newsmax's numbers and those of Fox News...are accurate.
USTVDB falsely claims that Newsmax has an audience of 113,000 compared to Fox's audience of over 2.2 million. The problem with these ratings, USTVDB does not provide on how they obtained these figures? I am certain that every network keeps an accurate record of their ratings.
DirecTV indiscriminately drops Newsmax from its lineup based on its conservative viewpoints -- not based on ratings. However, DirecTV pays to keep 11 liberal networks on the air as it continues to silence conservative speech. In 2022, DirecTV drops One America News Network based on their conservative viewpoints as well. This is a violation of both conservative medias' First Amendment rights, and it must be challenge in the courts.
Just so you are clear on the First Amendment:
The First Amendment applies only to state actors, there is a common misconception that it prohibits anyone from limiting free speech, including private, non-governmental entities. Moreover, the Supreme Court has determined that protection of speech is not absolute.
M.J,
The person making the false claim is you unless you have evidence to back up your claim.
This is such an interesting website with excellent information. Thank you for sharing.
Take a look here people... The above comment is a product of a brainwashing education system aided by brainwashing media. Scary.
Dude your comment is above this one 🤣
Clearly someone whose under the influence of their bullshit media choices. Act like everyone else is influenced by media then come on here and say exactly what your trash networks are pushing. Lol it would be comical if it wasn’t so pathetic.
Why are liberals so AnGwY? ?