MSNBC is reeling from a dramatic drop in ratings following its high-profile primetime overhaul, with internal data revealing a 41% collapse in key demographic viewership and a 34% decline in total day ratings since May 2024.

The sharp ratings slide marks a major setback for the liberal cable network, which has long relied on its primetime block to maintain its competitive edge against Fox News and CNN. At the center of the controversy: the new lineup anchored by former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki and the panel-based show The Weeknight.

A Costly Bet on Psaki

On May 5, MSNBC handed Psaki the coveted 9 p.m. timeslot from Tuesday through Friday, a move that Rachel Maddow, the network’s longtime ratings titan, had endorsed. Maddow stepped back from her five-night hosting duties last year but temporarily returned to cover former President Donald Trump’s first 100 days back in office.

Despite the fanfare, The Briefing with Jen Psaki has stumbled badly out of the gate. The show’s May 22 episode failed to crack one million viewers—topping out at just 973,000—while Fox News’s Sean Hannity attracted 2.3 million in the same hour. Even more alarming, Psaki drew only 55,000 viewers in the critical 25–54 age demographic.

For comparison, Hannity earned 210,000 in that same demo. Since its debut, Psaki’s show has averaged 46% fewer viewers than Maddow’s did during the Trump administration’s first 100 days.

Panel Show Underperforms

MSNBC also launched The Weeknight, a roundtable-style program at 7 p.m. hosted by Symone Sanders Townsend, Michael Steele, and Alicia Menendez. Positioned as the replacement for Joy Reid’s canceled The ReidOut, the show has failed to resonate with audiences.

On May 22, The Weeknight pulled in just 707,000 viewers, including a meager 56,000 in the key demographic. Overall, the show is averaging 770,000 viewers—a 36% drop from the 1.2 million who tuned in to MSNBC at the same hour last year.

Network Exodus Underway

As the ratings crash deepens, top MSNBC personalities are eyeing the exits. Data analyst Steve Kornacki, beloved for his election night breakdowns, announced in April that he’s stepping away from MSNBC entirely to focus on NBC News and its streaming efforts.

Meanwhile, The Beat host Ari Melber is reportedly in talks with competitors and is even considering launching his own media venture. Melber’s departure would be another blow for the network—his 6 p.m. show remains one of MSNBC’s few ratings bright spots and has cultivated a large YouTube following.

Decline Extends Beyond Psaki

Even Maddow’s once-commanding presence has waned. Her Monday broadcasts have averaged 1.8 million viewers in recent weeks—a 24% drop from the 2.4 million she commanded during the same stretch last year.

Alex Wagner, who held down the 9 p.m. slot before Psaki, averaged higher numbers than her successor, making the decline even more glaring.

Fox News Soars, MSNBC Stumbles

Fox News continues to dominate the cable news landscape. The Five remains the most-watched show in cable news, drawing a staggering 3.77 million nightly viewers in June. Hannity, Tucker Carlson Tonight, and Gutfeld! also posted strong numbers.

Fox is the only one of the big three cable networks to post year-over-year gains—21% in total viewership and 22% in the coveted 25–54 demographic.

Meanwhile, upstart network NewsNation is quietly gaining momentum, reporting a 21% jump in total viewers and a 50% surge in the key demo. The network’s flagship show, hosted by Chris Cuomo, continues to build its audience, threatening to peel away MSNBC’s disaffected viewers.

Comcast’s Strategic Shift

Behind the scenes, parent company Comcast is making moves to distance itself from MSNBC’s underperformance. Executives are reportedly exploring a spin-off of MSNBC into a separate publicly traded entity—a decision that’s only adding to the network’s turmoil.

According to insiders, new network head Rebecca Kutler is betting big on digital platforms like YouTube to salvage MSNBC’s brand. Kutler, a veteran of CNN and The View, is hoping the network’s future lies in streaming, short-form clips, and multiplatform engagement.

Conclusion: Trouble at the Top

MSNBC’s primetime collapse highlights the fragility of network news in a post-cable era. The network’s decision to overhaul its lineup has, so far, resulted in alienated viewers, underperforming shows, and potential talent defections.

Jen Psaki’s struggle to connect with audiences suggests that name recognition—even from the White House briefing room—doesn’t guarantee ratings success. And with competitors like Fox News thriving and digital challengers like NewsNation on the rise, MSNBC’s future is anything but certain.

As the network scrambles to regroup, one question looms large: Can MSNBC turn its fortunes around—or has the network already lost its audience for good?