‘Morning Joe’ Ratings Crater To New Lows

MSNBC’s flagship morning program, Morning Joe, has seen its ratings tumble to some of the lowest levels in its history, with audiences fleeing amid controversy surrounding co-anchors Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. The duo, long critical of former President Donald Trump, reportedly met with him at Mar-a-Lago earlier this week in an effort to “restart communications,” leaving many of the network’s left-leaning viewers feeling betrayed.

From Monday to Wednesday, the show’s overall average audience fell 20%, to just 618,000 viewers. The decline was even steeper among the 25-to-54 demographic — the group most sought after by advertisers in news programming — which saw a 45% drop, falling to an average of just 49,000 viewers. On Wednesday alone, the program drew 647,000 viewers overall and a mere 51,000 in the key demographic, marking a 15% and 41% decline, from Monday’s figures according to Variety.

The backlash was swift after Scarborough and Brzezinski revealed on Monday that they had visited Trump’s Florida estate. The anchors have spent years criticizing the former president, making their apparent overture to him all the more polarizing. Internal MSNBC sources described the move as a “cowardly” attempt to court favor with Trump, alienating a core audience that had tuned in for years to hear sharp critiques of his administration.

Morning Joe average audience is down 20% from Monday to Wednesday, to 618,000 viewers:

+ and down 45% in the 25-to-54 demo, to 49,000 viewers.

— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) November 21, 2024

Tuesday’s broadcast saw a further decline, with Morning Joe drawing 680,000 total viewers and 86,000 in the 25-to-54 demographic — a 12% drop from Monday. The fallout extended beyond viewers, sparking internal turmoil at MSNBC as staffers questioned the network’s broader direction.

The ratings woes for Morning Joe come as MSNBC grapples with larger structural and financial challenges. Parent company Comcast is reportedly planning to spin off NBCUniversal’s cable channels, including MSNBC, as part of a cost-cutting overhaul. Such a move would leave the network facing an uncertain future, particularly as cable news viewership continues to decline across the board.

Executives are also finalizing plans for a significant lineup shakeup, which could include changes to daytime and weekend programming, a new lead-in for Morning Joe, and redistributing airtime among top personalities. Insiders have hinted that Rachel Maddow, once a cornerstone of the network’s success, may play a key role in efforts to stabilize the channel.

Once celebrated for her $30 million annual contract, Maddow recently renegotiated her deal to $25 million over five years. The network views her as indispensable, with one executive describing her as “ratings Viagra.” MSNBC reportedly plans to deploy Maddow more strategically during breaking news events, hoping her presence will provide a much-needed ratings boost.

However, the network’s struggles go beyond individual personalities.

Once a bastion of progressive resistance to Trump, the network now faces accusations of pandering to the former president. Whether the hosts can recover their credibility — and their audience — remains to be seen. For now, the numbers paint a grim picture.

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