Progressive MSNBC viewers tuned out in droves last Thursday and Friday following President-elect Donald Trump’s historic landslide win against Vice President Kamala Harris.
The drop in viewership came just days after the network beat CNN for the first time on a presidential election night, averaging 6 million viewers compared to its competitor’s 5.1 million.
Thursday’s total average daily viewers on Fox News came in at 2.6 million and 375,000 in the coveted 25-54 age demographic, according to Nielsen data. Meanwhile, MSNBC brought in only 596,000 total viewers and 71,000 in the demo. CNN brought in 419,000 total viewers on Thursday and 91,000 viewers in the demo.
Fox News was up some 60 percent year over year for the day, while MSNBC and CNN were down 23 and 40 percent – respectively. In prime time the news was even more bleak for CNN and MSNBC as they shed 30 percent and 54 percent of their viewers, respectively, compared to the same day last year. MSNBC host Alex Wagner had her lowest-rated show ever in terms of total viewers, while Chris Hayes’s show brought in its worst numbers since May of 2016.
On Friday, seven MSNBC programs recorded their lowest Friday ratings for the year as the network also saw its lowest-rated Friday prime time programming of the year — outside of holiday weekends. (Mediaite)
As many have pointed out, it's not hard to see why.
MSNBC ratings have cratered by 50%. They are hemorrhaging viewers. Comcast may sell it off.
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) November 12, 2024
Can’t imagine why this is happening.
Also, here is Joy Reid berating minority men as racists for not voting as she demands.pic.twitter.com/r5nHDyjhYV
🚨Proof the atomization of Corporate Media is upon us🚨
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 12, 2024
MSNBC ratings have precipitously cratered since Trump’s sweeping victory on Election Day:
Morning Joe – down 39.6%
Joy Reid’s Reidout – down 54.6%
Andrea Mitchell – down 39.7%
Ari Melber – down 49.6%
All-in w Chris Hayes –…
MSNBC Primetime ratings are down 50% since Trump won. Remember how cable news got a ratings bump after the 2016 election? That’s not gonna happen again. The bump will be online this time. People are picking influencers/podcasts based on merit over DEI fueled legacy media. pic.twitter.com/UW8hbHT5Z7
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) November 12, 2024
In the days after the election, MSNBC's Jen Psaki recognized the network gave way too much attention to Never Trump Republicans and not enough to prominent individuals who left the Democratic Party.
Jenn Psaki says no one cares about never Trump Republicans and MSNBC gives them way too much attention. Ha. Only took nine years for Dems to realize this: pic.twitter.com/evp72GTqjz
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) November 8, 2024
Former Sen. Claire McCaskill, meanwhile, acknowledged Donald Trump knows the country better than they do.
Unbelievable segment this morning with Claire McCaskill on MSNBC’s Morning Joe
— Kylie Jane Kremer (@KylieJaneKremer) November 6, 2024
“Well first we have to acknowledge that Donald Trump knows our country better than we do”
For just a moment, it seems as though there may be hope for an awakening within the Democratic Party, only… pic.twitter.com/UXC9ft5aIk
Whether viewers come back in the days and weeks ahead remains to be seen.