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After Donald Trump’s landslide victory over Kamala Harris, even left-leaning audiences are tuning out from the TV channels they once relied on. According to Nielsen ratings obtained by Mediaite, both MSNBC and CNN have seen their ratings drop significantly after last week’s memorable presidential election.
The report highlights:
“MSNBC saw its audience crater on Thursday and Friday, just days after the left-of-center network beat CNN in election night ratings for the first time ever. 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.”
In comparison, MSNBC attracted only 596,000 total viewers and 71,000 in the demo, while CNN brought in 419,000 total viewers and 91,000 viewers in the demo on Thursday. Both networks were heavily outpaced by conservative-leaning Fox News, which, despite previous challenges, is clearly benefitting from Trump’s decisive win.
Mediaite continues:
“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 recorded its worst numbers since May 2016. On Friday, seven MSNBC programs experienced their lowest Friday ratings for the year, and the network saw its weakest Friday prime time viewership of 2023, excluding holiday weekends.
Post-election, Fox News averaged 4.4 million total viewers from Wednesday to Friday in prime time, with 701,000 viewers in the demo. For the same period, MSNBC drew 808,000 total viewers and 90,000 in the demo, while CNN averaged 611,000 total prime time viewers and 159,000 in the demo.
While mainstream media networks are often distrusted by Americans who view them as extensions of Democratic Party messaging, these figures suggest that even their core audiences are now turning away.
However, there could be a glimmer of hope for CNN and MSNBC. During Trump’s previous presidency, both channels saw strong ratings as many left-leaning viewers tuned in, seeking comfort or insight. Over his four years in office, both networks devoted significant airtime to the Russia investigation, giving viewers hope that Trump might face legal consequences related to alleged collusion with Vladimir Putin to win the 2016 election.
As we enter Trump’s third and final act, the future of MSNBC and CNN remains uncertain. But if these current trends persist, the outlook may indeed be very challenging for both networks.
