Fox News topped MSNBC and CNN combined in the cable news ratings race for the month of October, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Overall, Fox averaged 2.8 million total viewers in prime time, up 25 percent from October 2017. MSNBC placed second in the category, with 1.58 million viewers, while CNN finished third, with 931,000 viewers, during the time period.

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In the key 25- to 54-year-old demographic advertisers covet most, CNN fared better than MSNBC, averaging 290,000 viewers to 281,000. Fox News won that category with 540,000 viewers.

The top programs in cable news for October were Fox News's "Hannity," with an average of 3.5 million viewers; "Tucker Carlson Tucker CarlsonPebble Mine executives eye future expansion in recorded conversations Ex-Pence aide: Trump spent 45 minutes of task force meeting 'going off on Tucker Carlson' instead of talking coronavirus Biden town hall draws 3.3 million viewers for CNN MORE Tonight," with 3.23 million; "The Ingraham Angle," with 2.97 million; "The Five," with 2.84 million; and "Special Report with Bret Baier," with 2,668,000.

MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show" finished sixth in cable news as that network's highest-rated program. Overall, MSNBC finished fourth in basic cable behind Fox News, TBS and ESPN.

CNN's most-watched program was "Cuomo Prime Time," anchored by Chris Cuomo Chris CuomoCNN's Lemon: 'We're going to have to blow up the entire system' if Democrats win back White House, Senate Giuliani criticizes NYC leadership: 'They're killing this city' CNN's Don Lemon calls on Biden to 'stand at a podium' in addressing violence MORE, which averaged 957,000 total viewers and finished 23rd overall in cable news. The network finished ninth in basic cable overall, behind The Hallmark Channel and HGTV.