MSNBC has seen a dramatic decline in viewership since the election of President-elect Donald Trump, with recent data showing a 54% drop in primetime ratings.
MSNBC ratings have cratered 50% since the election and Comcast is considering cutting it loose and selling it
— Jack Poso (@JackPosobiec) November 12, 2024
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The network, known for its liberal-leaning content, averaged 1.1 million viewers throughout October, but that number fell to just 736,000 in the days following Trump’s landslide victory over Kamala Harris.
Fox News, in contrast, has seen a 61% surge in viewership during the same period, indicating a shift in audience interest.
The steep decline in viewership comes as several MSNBC hosts continue to grapple with Trump’s re-election.
BREAKING: Ratings for MSNBC and CNN have tanked since Donald Trump steamrolled Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. pic.twitter.com/GkxOQ2PdQZ
— The General (@GeneralMCNews) November 12, 2024
Primetime programs such as Alex Wagner Tonight, All In with Chris Hayes, and The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell have all experienced significant drops, with total viewers falling from an October average of 1.8 million to just 808,000 since the election.
The network also suffered a 57% decline in its key advertising demographic of viewers aged 25-54.
MSNBC’s audience backlash also appears tied to controversial comments made by certain hosts, particularly Joy Reid.
MSNBC ratings have cratered by 50%. They are hemorrhaging viewers. Comcast may sell it off.
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
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) November 12, 2024
Megyn Kelly, former Fox News anchor and current host of The Megyn Kelly Show on SiriusXM, recently condemned Reid’s comments, alleging that Reid is “looking to incite a race riot.”
Kelly criticized Reid for claiming that Trump would deport minorities with legal status and accusing her of encouraging racial division.
“She actually does want some sort of rioting in the streets, some sort of race revolt,” Kelly said. Reid recently told her MSNBC audience that Trump would pursue a “de-naturalization” process, suggesting legal immigrants with green cards or citizenship could be deported. “If you’re brown, you may not stick around,” Reid said, suggesting Trump’s policies would target minority groups indiscriminately.
MSNBC viewers also appear to be reacting to other hosts’ responses to Harris’s loss.
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After Harris’s concession speech, MSNBC contributor Claire McCaskill broke into tears on-air, and host Stephanie Ruhle suggested that Americans were “gambling with the country’s future” by electing Trump.
Jonathan Capehart expressed disbelief over Trump’s win, calling his campaign “openly hostile, openly racist, xenophobic, misogynistic, transphobic.”
MSNBC’s on-screen graphic during his segment read, “FINDING HOPE IN A DARK TIME.”
This rhetoric has contributed to a post-election ratings decline, with many viewers tuning out due to what critics say is a divisive tone.
OutKick’s Bobby Burack commented on MSNBC’s declining influence, stating, “MSNBC exhausted every resource at their disposal to stop Donald Trump from achieving victory… It didn’t work. The lies, the hysteria, and the besmirchment only made Trump more popular.”
The network’s ratings spike on election night, Burack argued, was largely due to viewers tuning in to see how hosts would react to Trump’s win, rather than any long-term loyalty.
NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck noted that MSNBC’s dramatic post-election drop may reflect a broader shift. “While MSNBC thought they may have struck gold with election night ratings, they should have realized by now that Americans only tuned in so they could see the meltdowns,” Houck told Fox News Digital.
He added that MSNBC’s programming has become increasingly disconnected from the views of a large portion of the American public.
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Kelly also suggested that Reid’s future at the network may be uncertain, saying it’s “a tick-tock situation until her ass is fired.”
Reid’s controversial statements have stirred backlash, particularly her claim that Trump supporters within Latino communities would “own” the administration’s immigration policies, and her suggestion that LGBTQ+ individuals cut ties with family members who voted for Trump.
MSNBC has yet to publicly address its ratings decline, and requests for comment were unanswered.
However, the numbers indicate that its post-election content has not resonated with viewers, many of whom seem to be looking elsewhere for news and commentary.
As alternative media sources grow, MSNBC’s response to its current ratings struggle could shape the network’s future as it faces a competitive media landscape.
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