(Fox News) MSNBC’s reliably liberal audience has tuned out the anti-Trump network since Election Day with a staggering 54% drop in primetime viewership.
MSNBC averaged 1.1 million viewers during the month of October but plummeted to an average audience of 736,000 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week following President-elect Donald Trump’s historic landslide victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. MSNBC’s remarkable 31% drop comes as Fox News Channel’s viewership grew by 61% over the same time period.
MSNBC also shed 26% of its year-to-date totals, but things got even worse in primetime.
During the primetime hours of 8-11 p.m. ET, MSNBC averaged 1.8 million total viewers in October but viewership of “Alex Wagner Tonight,” “All in with Chris Hayes” and “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” have averaged only 808,000 total viewers since election night. The 54% drop represents more than half of the network’s primetime viewers, and MSNBC is also down 51% from its year-to-date totals while Fox News is up 58% in primetime compared to 2024 averages.
MSNBC host Joy Reid, Alex Wagner, Chris Hayes and Lawrence ODonnell. (Getty)
MSNBC is also down 16% among total day viewers and 57% during primetime among the critical demographic of adults age 25-54, which is most coveted by advertisers.
“Alex Wagner Tonight,” “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” Chris Jansing Reports,” “Deadline: White House” with Nicolle Wallace, “Jose Diaz-Balart Reports,” Joy Reid’s “The ReidOut” and “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” all had their smallest audiences of the year on Friday.
It was also the smallest audience for “Alex Wagner Tonight” since the show launched in 2022 when MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow rolled back her on-air presence to only once per week.
“All in with Chris Hayes” had its lowest-rated episode since May 10, 2016 on Thursday.
MSNBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A longtime TV news executive who asked to remain anonymous noted that MSNBC’s audience appeared to love to hate Trump during his first administration – but that doesn’t seem to be the case any longer.
“As its poor post-election night ratings show, MSNBC should not expect a ‘Trump Bump’ this time around. Even liberals are rejecting its condescending tone and the divisive rhetoric of its new standard-bearer, Joy Reid,” the longtime TV news executive said.
MSNBC averaged 1.1 million viewers during the month of October but plummeted to an average audience of 736,000 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week following President-elect Trump’s historic victory. (Screenshot/MSNBC)
MSNBC viewer Sharon Waxman, who is the founder and CEO of Hollywood trade publication TheWrap, wrote that the “media got it wrong” and she needs a break from the noise.
“If you’re like me, you haven’t turned on the news since last Tuesday when Donald Trump won the election. Personally, I can’t bear to listen to another minute of wisdom from Joy Reid, my friend Lawrence O’Donnell or the admirable Rachel Maddow,” Waxman wrote.
“I can’t do it,” Waxman continued. “I’m not saying I’ll never watch or listen again. But – am I alone here? – my entire body recoils from listening to more claptrap from the same claptrapping apparatus.”
