Far-left ‘news’ network MSNBC is continuing to tank in the ratings following now-President-elect Donald Trump’s masterful butt-kicking of Vice President Kamala Harris, and that includes President Joe Biden’s first hack spokeswoman, Jen Psaki.
Viewership is plummeting as the “tune-out” phenomenon grips MSNBC. Anchors such as Morning Joe hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough are facing criticism from colleagues for holding private meetings with Trump. Meanwhile, staff members are reportedly outraged at on-air personalities like Rachel Maddow, who, despite earning the network’s highest salary, is being blamed for the steep decline in the network’s ratings. The impact of this turmoil is reflected in the latest Nielsen ratings, which paint a grim picture for the network.
“Alex Wagner Tonight,” “Inside with Jen Psaki,” and “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” all achieved their lowest audience ratings within a single week, signaling serious challenges for a network that is cutting jobs and reducing salaries post-election. These declines are particularly surprising given a busy news week packed with major events, including the shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the subsequent four-day manhunt. Additionally, significant stories such as President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter and the ousting of Syria’s Assad regime attracted viewers to other networks. Meanwhile, MSNBC has managed to alienate its audience to such an extent that it’s possible those viewers may never return.
“Alex Wagner Tonight,” airing Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET, averaged only 595,000 viewers during the week of December 2nd, marking its lowest ratings since its 2022 debut. “Inside with Jen Psaki” attracted just 651,000 viewers since its launch last year, signaling a decline in the former Biden spokeswoman’s popularity. Meanwhile, “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” reached an all-time low in the key 25-54 age demographic, drawing only 61,000 viewers—the lowest since its premiere in 2010—despite having slightly more viewers than the previous week.
Rachel Maddow is leading a potential race to the bottom on MSNBC, having lost 43% of her total audience since President-elect Trump’s victory. Despite this significant drop, the network renewed her contract for another five years. Trailing close behind are Brzezinski and Scarborough, whose show has experienced a 35% decline in overall viewership—averaging around 720,000 viewers—and a 37% decrease in the key 25-54 age demographic, according to Nielsen ratings.
These declining ratings come at a critical time for Comcast, which recently announced plans to spin off NBCUniversal assets, including MSNBC, into a separate company that will no longer depend on NBC for financial support. With reduced shared resources, there is speculation about whether the network’s executives will permit its biased and disconnected coverage to continue without opposition from more pro-Trump guests.