CBS finishes last in election night ratings
The gist
CBS News' midterm election coverage drew 2.76 million primetime viewers, last among six major networks.
The result lands amid a CBS News overhaul under new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.
How it unfolded
- Nov 3, 2026CBS News' primetime midterm coverage, anchored by Tony Dokoupil and Norah O'Donnell, drew 2.63 million viewers, last among the six major networks.
- Nov 4, 2026Preliminary Nielsen Fast National ratings put NBC first at 6.519 million and CBS last at 2.629 million; CNN analyst Brian Stelter posted similar averages.
- Nov 5, 2026Final Nielsen ratings showed NBC No. 1 with 6.74 million primetime viewers and CBS last among the six networks with 2.76 million; Fox News led cable with 4.31 million.
Key terms
- midterm election
- US general elections held near the midpoint of a president's four-year term, when all House seats and about a third of Senate seats are contested.
Source: Wikipedia