MSNBC Ratings Suffering Due to Obama White House or Death of Michael Jackson?

by Steve Krakauer | 8:58 am, July 29th, 2009

» 6 comments

olbermann_7-29 During the lead-up to the 2008 presidential election, MSNBC was seeing record ratings, especially in prime time. But with change in the White House, there’s some change coming out of Nielsen.

The constant competition with CNN to be #2 on cable news is still a close contest, but July ratings for MSNBC showed a steep drop. But as MSNBC tells us, the reason for this is not so “Black or White.”

MSNBC notably did not put out a press release yesterday. But an MSNBC spokesperson tells Mediaite the theory for CNN’s successful July – fluke. “CNN had their ‘month of Michael Jackson,’ but as Friday’s numbers showed, we’re back and our prime time programs will continue to beat theirs in August and beyond,” said the spokesperson.

Without a doubt, CNN covered the Jackson death and subsequent storylines more than every other cable news network – and the viewers flocked to the coverage. And on Friday, MSNBC was back to #2 in the prime time demo.

With Fox News still bringing in huge ratings, 1st place is unattainable right now for the cable news competition. And in the second quarter of 2009, MSNBC made the story about their victory over CNN in prime time for the first time ever.

In July the story has changed. CNN was back to #2 in prime time – so much so the network had its best July ever. MSNBC saw some major year-to-year declines. One show taking a big hit was Countdown with Keith Olbermann, with its lowest ratings in the demo since December 2007. (Olbermann, like many cable news hosts in July, was out for a significant portion of the month.)

MSNBC made the decision during 2008, and into 2009, to make a leftward shift in prime time and in the pre-prime time hours. The strategy worked at the time, but with the Democrats in comfortable control, the viewers are not sticking around as much. It should be noted one of the only programs to gain year-to-year is the conservative-fronted Morning Joe.

So was it liberal contentment or a Jackson focus that accounted for July’s numbers? We’ll see you next month…

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ChrisNH

I think MSNBC is losing because people don’t want to watch perpetually angry hosts all the time. Image the unhinged hatred that must exist with Olbermann, Matthews and all the rest of them to be ‘mad’ despite the whole political landscape being to your ideological liking. This government is Nirvana to these folks, yet they exist each day with a welded-on scowl (see Olbermann’s picture). The people of this country are already enraged enough by what ‘their’ (quotes for emphasis) government is doing to them. They don’t want hosts angrily telling them that they’d better start liking it…or else. I want to watch hosts that are critical of the way things are going, and that isn’t MSNBC…or anything with ‘NBC’ in it.
Pam1151

I have been an MSNBC groupie for some years now. I used to watch CNN but with the exception of a few of the people that appear on CNN on a regular basis I find it unwatchable (made up word?). I don’t consider the people that have shows on these networks as journalists. Because oif the 24 hour news cycle these days they all seem to report on any and all garbage that is out there along with whatever NEWS exists for that day. Chris, you say they are angry. I don’t see it as anger but I do see it as being serious about reporting whatever it is they are reporting for that time period. It all boils down to each persons own taste in personalities. I love Dan Abrahms when he had a show on MSNBC. His first show that was a legal show. It was very good but did not last. My bottom line when it comes to these networks is not the personality of the people reporting but the amout of honesty that is reported by that particular network. As far as the rating. FOX is always at the top and I could not watch FOX if it were the ONLY choice. So can we just say it comes down to a personal choice and let it be? I find it great that we have a choice.
http://www.swissarmyjew.com Keeva

MSNBC’s numbers are where they are because the viewers are tired of the constant ranting and anger. MSNBC is every bit as slanted and extremist as Fox, but Fox maintains its viewers because they are the only neo-con news outlet. (Fox is also the only moron news outlet, but that is a Gretchen Carlson story for another day.) MSNBC has to divide the rest of the audience with everyone else.

Memo to Olbermann, Maddow and the rest – the self-righteous, angry, demanding rant-a-thon is awful. Either learn to be less of a bombast or step aside for an actual adult. And Morning Joe is ridiculously insulting and dishonest. Failed former Congress Critter joined by daughter of failed diplomat pimping coffee does not make for a “conservative” show. It makes for a waste of electricity.

I try not to watch any of the 3. Fox is so hard right, they condemn moderates, MSNBC is so hard left, they condemn moderates and CNN is just plain unwatchable.
StewartIII

ChickaBOOMer: CNN’s Death Bump. FOX Soars. Olbermann Tanks.
http://chickaboomer.blogspot.com/2009/07/cnns-death-bump-fox-soars-olbermann.html
http://www.youtube.com/cmdrgmh cmdrgmh

I don’t watch MSNBC now until 11:00 am and then the whole day right thru Rachel at 10:00. Scarborough is a jerk and so is Mika. She used to be his left arm and now she sounds more like him. Morning Meeting really blows. Can’t stand any right wingers on my MSNBC. I liked it much better when the News started at 9:00 am. Fire Ratigan, put a Progressive in his place or put the news cast back on. No More Repubs PLEASE.
http://www.youtube.com/cmdrgmh cmdrgmh

Also, MSNBC needs to get some Weekend programming. Put news on all day would be good. Get some good liberal shows on too. Like I said before NO MORE REPUBLICANS on MSNBC.