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MSNBC Ratings Fall 40%: Countdown to Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews Firings
FrontPage Mag ^ | 04/02/2015 | Daniel Greenfield

Posted on 04/02/2015 7:45:53 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

CNN and FOX News have stepped up their game. CNN has gone full infotainment under Jeff Zucker and is eating MSNBC’s lunch. Meanwhile MSNBC has the same cast of social justice warriors with occasional interruptions from idiots like Al Sharpton and Chris Matthews offering the same predigested pablum that MSNBC’s younger audience gets in mock form from the Daily Show.

The collapse is hitting fast and hard. MSNBC’s demo ratings, the 25-54 adult audience, has fallen anywhere from 39% to 45% (I’ve seen three numbers quoted across Variety, Deadline and Mediaite, 39%, 40% and 45%).

For Q1 2015, MSNBC’s weekday primetime experienced a 45% decrease in key 25-54 demo viewership from Q1 2014. The network’s total daytime demo viewership declined 39% from Q1 2014. Additionally, a key program like The Rachel Maddow Show hit an all-time low in quarterly demo ratings since its Sept. 2008 launch.

In total day and weekday primetime demo ratings, MSNBC hit its lowest quarterly levels in 10 years (since Q2 2005), and its lowest quarter of total viewership since the last quarter of 2007.

There really isn’t anyone watching.

For the quarter on a total-day basis, Fox News ruled in adults 25-54 with 210,000 (down 8% from last year) while CNN (148,000, up 20%) and HLN (130,000, up 33%) were able to inch closer. MSNBC, on the other hand, tumbled 39% to 86,000.

86,000 people in the demo watching on average. MSNBC could get better ratings by replacing its programming with paint drying. And speaking of paint drying, it’s a bad day to be Maddow… or Matthews.

With just 145,000 viewers among the 25-54s on average over the December 29, 2014 – March 29, 2015 period, the once-proud flagship The Rachel Maddow Show hit an all-time quarter low with the worst result since its September 8, 2008 launch. Not only is Maddow down 46% in the demo, but her 9 PM show is also down 19% in total viewers. Fellow primetime show All In With Chris Hayes and Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell fell to their worst quarterly demo ratings since their respective 2013 and 2010 debuts. O’Donnell’s show also had its lowest total quarterly viewership results. And 7 PM’s Hardball With Chris Matthews had its lowest-rated quarter in the demo since 2Q 2005 with an average viewership of 126,000.

Does it even seem worth mentioning that CNN sister station HLN beat MSNBC for the fourth quarter in a row in total day demo? Or that MSNBC lost out to its own sister station CNBC in primetime demo for the second quarter in row? Well, they did.

Maddow and Matthews are done. The only question is on what terms. Farrow was eased out. So was Schultz, but Maddow got control of MSNBC’s programming and ran it off a bridge. MSNBC caught Maddow disease and there’s no easy cure.

She isn’t likely to give up being queen bee quietly and settle for occasionally getting a documentary or a weekend edition.

And MSNBC is wary of losing the only viewers it has left.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: chrismatthews; liberalmedia; msm; msnbc; nbc; rachelmaddow; ratings
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How fun it would be to watch the Internet planet ending nuclear explosion if the Koch brothers bought MSNBC (More Socialism Now Bring on Communism)


21 posted on 04/02/2015 8:20:09 AM PDT by dsrtsage (One half of all people have below average IQ. In the US the number is 54%)
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To: SeekAndFind

So, they lost another viewer?


22 posted on 04/02/2015 8:20:53 AM PDT by WayneS (Barack Obama makes Neville Chamberlin look like George Patton.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Basically, most MSLSD shows are vehicles for crazed leftists to jump up and down screaming epithets at how conservatives are racists, sexists, homophobes (why isn’t it gayaphobes), and just all around haters. Even MSLSD’s core audience of bong inhalers probably get a little tired of it after a while.


23 posted on 04/02/2015 8:24:19 AM PDT by driftless2 (For long term happiness, learn how to play the accordion.)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

It’s because liberals hold power where it counts, and that’s in our education system, the media, and government. The educational system indoctrinates the little “skulls full of mush” all the way through college so they become mind-numbed robots. The media controls the messaging so only one point of view is presented and dissenting views are not given. Control of government insures that this three headed monster is maintained. Why do you think the liberals fight tooth and nail for every election from president down to school board races? As long as the left controls these three entities we as a nation are toast!


24 posted on 04/02/2015 8:25:44 AM PDT by dowcaet
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To: SeekAndFind

Obama’s 2 biggest cheerleaders. They really need to get a clue as to where America stands.


25 posted on 04/02/2015 8:27:01 AM PDT by jersey117
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To: vette6387; CPT Clay

“Should FR start a pool?”

Yes, but it should be “What date do you think PMSNBC’s transmitter goes dark?”


NBCUniversal, formerly General Electric and now Comcast, will never let MSNBC die. It’s their propaganda arm.

Joseph Goebbels is looking up proudly from hell.


26 posted on 04/02/2015 8:28:16 AM PDT by Clint N. Suhks (If attacked by a mob of clowns go for the juggler.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Hey you guys lay off MSNBC. Show a little compassion.

Their viewer is sick today.


27 posted on 04/02/2015 8:29:08 AM PDT by AppyPappy (If you are not part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem.)
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To: Clint N. Suhks

“NBCUniversal, formerly General Electric and now Comcast, will never let MSNBC die. It’s their propaganda arm.”

So I guess Comcast subscribers will pick up the propaganda costs through higher cable rates?


28 posted on 04/02/2015 8:31:50 AM PDT by vette6387
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To: dowcaet

MSNBC is a ratings disaster but the left has other venues to control the messaging. My guess is that the left doesn’t waste time watching networks that already preach to the choir and they opt to go watch FOX to see what we, the opposition, is supposedly thinking.


29 posted on 04/02/2015 8:32:22 AM PDT by dowcaet
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To: Dilbert San Diego

The sad thing is MSNBC will still make a minimum of $50 million profit even of ratings continue to decline. This is because of long term advertising deals signed three years ago during the 2012 elections. The advertising agencies are locked into contracts that are not based on viewership since they got suckered into believing it would cost them more as MSNBC’s viewership increased.


30 posted on 04/02/2015 8:32:38 AM PDT by georgiarat (Obama, providing incompetence since Day One!!)
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To: SeekAndFind

So they’re down to sixty viewers now?


31 posted on 04/02/2015 8:32:57 AM PDT by Rummyfan (Let us now try liberty)
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To: jersey117

Mika needs to be saving her money. When Valerie Jarrett leaves the WH in 21 months, Mika will no longer be of value to MSNBC.


32 posted on 04/02/2015 8:34:00 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Mississippi!)
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To: Dilbert San Diego
Because TV ratings are real... (Gallop stood up to democrats when they wanted him to lie and cheat) liberal elites can't manipulate TV numbers...

Liberal elite AstroTurf ‘protest’ and suck up shills in the press can't overcome truthful numbers... That's how we know the country doesn't give a damn about liberal
beliefs’ or propaganda. Citizens refuse to watch the lies on MSNBC.

And telephone surveys?

If YOU lived in Communist China or North Korea - and a poll taker called and wanted YOU to go on record about how you felt - you would parrot the party line. Just like Americans are starting to do... we sense the boot being lowered to our faces...

33 posted on 04/02/2015 8:34:43 AM PDT by GOPJ (Winning is passing on YOUR values despite the growing totalitarian state...Greenfield)
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To: SeekAndFind

Who was it at that station who first said “I KNOW I KNOW! Let’s put a drunken fat idiot and an unattractive smirking bull-dyke as our main hosts!!”

THAT’S the guy that should be fired...


34 posted on 04/02/2015 8:34:48 AM PDT by Mr. K (Palin/Cruz 2016 (for 16 years of conservative bliss))
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To: SeekAndFind
The article does not mention Al Sharpton

I get the feeling that Sharpton is untouchable.
35 posted on 04/02/2015 8:37:02 AM PDT by mmichaels1970
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To: Clint N. Suhks

NBCUniversal revenue is something like $25 billion. Parent Comcast revenue is something like $65 billion. Losing $100 million on MSNBC isn’t a big deal, but it’s also an opportunity for some ambitious exec to look good by making it into less of a liability. Doesn’t mean their editorial outlook would change.


36 posted on 04/02/2015 8:37:02 AM PDT by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: georgiarat
George Soros and corrupt Hollywood elites would be happy to throw money at MSNBC... they propped up Air America... and Current. Smart advertisers would tie what they pay for ads to number of eyes seeing those ads... I suspect that's part of most contracts. This might not be as bad as you think... Because TV ratings are real... (Gallop stood up to democrats when they wanted him to lie and cheat) liberal elites can't manipulate TV numbers...

Liberal elite AstroTurf ‘protest’ and suck up shills in the press can't overcome truthful numbers... That's how we know the country doesn't give a damn about liberal
beliefs’ or propaganda. Citizens refuse to watch the lies on MSNBC.

And telephone surveys?

If YOU lived in Communist China or North Korea - and a poll taker called and wanted YOU to go on record about how you felt - you would parrot the party line. Just like Americans are starting to do... we sense the boot being lowered to our faces...

37 posted on 04/02/2015 8:37:29 AM PDT by GOPJ (Winning is passing on YOUR values despite the growing totalitarian state...Greenfield)
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To: SeekAndFind

My suggestion for MSNBC is to run infomercials endlessly for six months while changing the locks on the studio building.

Don’t even tell the hosts they’re fired. Just send separation pay to their lawyers by USPS registered mail.


38 posted on 04/02/2015 8:40:46 AM PDT by The KG9 Kid
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To: vette6387

I’d drop Comcast in a nanosecond.


39 posted on 04/02/2015 9:15:54 AM PDT by Clint N. Suhks (If attacked by a mob of clowns go for the juggler.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Don’t hold your breath, it’s not about making money, it’s about corrupting society until it stinks, only a small minority of cultural bolsheviki need to be corrupted to spin society outside of civilized bounds, after which the uber-rich, Soros, Gates & Buffett have the pretext they’re looking for to step in to get even more control.


40 posted on 04/02/2015 9:21:26 AM PDT by CharlesOConnell (CharlesOConnell)
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