MSNBC ratings in crucial 25-54 demographic slump by 30 percent after star Rachel Maddow’s departure, as 60,000 fewer young viewers tune in to woke network’s flagship show
- MSNBC’s ratings in the crucial 25 to 54 age demographic have dropped 30 percent since Rachel Maddow began her hiatus earlier this month
- Now. the network is looking to have her current stand-ins, Ali Velshi and Alex Wagner, replaced
- Maddow has gone on hiatus, and plans to make a movie with Ben Stiller – but there are reports she has no plans to return full-time
- Her show regularly draws more than 1 million viewers in total, and is the network’s most-watched program
MSNBC’s ratings in the crucial 25 to 54 age demographic have dropped a whopping 30 percent since Rachel Maddow began her hiatus earlier this month, and now the network is looking to have her current stand-ins replaced.
Maddow, who hosted the network’s marquee prime time news program, has since been temporarily replaced by Ali Velshi and Alex Wagner for the 9 pm ET time slot.
A total of 201,000 viewers in that age bracket watched Monday’s show – down around 60,000 sets of eyes on the previous week. Around 1 million people in total watch Maddow’s show.
She began her leave earlier in February for what is expected to be a two-month hiatus as she works on a handful of other projects, including a movie.
Rachel Maddow’s hiatus from MSNBC has seen ratings tank among the crucial 25-54 demographic for the left-leaning network’s flagship 9pm slot
However, news reports state she may not be permanently returning to her 9 pm show, as MSNBC plans for new replacements to take over the critical time slot amidst the drop in ratings.
Despite the grim ratings news, Maddow’s stand-ins are still performing better among 25 to 54 year-olds than on CNN, whose star anchor Anderson Cooper now hosts the network’s slot between 8pm and 10pm.
Ratings analysis shows that just 170,000 people in the coveted bracket tuned in for his nightly show.
CNN, the network’s closest competitor for the number two ratings spot behind Fox News, has also undergone widespread changes to its on-air talent.
Maddow’s replacements Ali Veshli (left) and Alex Wagner (right) have both proven far less popular in her old timeslot, leading MSNBC to plot to replace them from their hosting gigs
MSNBC parent company Comcast’s share price has trended downwards over the last year, with network star Maddow’s departures likely to raise further fears over its profitability
CNN has seen ratings slump since its star Chris Cuomo, above, was fired from his 9pm slot
Chris Cuomo, who held the same prime time 9 pm spot that Maddow held, was fired late last year for helping his disgraced NY Governor brother Andrew plot his response to sexual harassment claims.
Chris himself has faced allegations of inappropriate behavior towards women, which he denies. Meanwhile, CNN president Jeff Zucker was fired earlier this month over an inappropriate but consensual relationship with an underling.
Zucker was seen as being on borrowed time due to his closeness to Chris Cuomo.
Ratings at both liberal-leaning channels fall far short of those at conservative rival Fox News, which has enjoyed a period of relative staffing stability in recent years.
The News Corp-owned network previously faced its own scandals after former CEO Roger Ailes resigned in 2016 after it was claimed he’d sexually harassed female stars Gretchen Carlson, Megyn Kelly and Andrea Tantaros.
In early 2017, former Fox star Bill O’Reilly was fired by the network after it emerged he’d paid more than $13 million to settle sexual misconduct lawsuits.
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