For the first time in 17 years, Rachel Maddow and MSNBC beat Fox News over the week before Christmas to finish number one.
According to a press release obtained by PoliticusUSA from MSNBC:
MSNBC finished the week of December 17, 2018 as the #1 cable news network in the key demographic of A25-54 and total viewers during M-F 6am-2am, according to Nielsen data for the week of December 17-21.
MSNBC dominated during the sales day (M-F 6am-2am) time period last week, averaging 1,558,000 total viewers, the network’s 1st time in the #1 slot since the week of September 25, 2000. FOX News averaged 1,541,000 and CNN averaged 975,000. This was the 1st time MSNBC beat FOX News in the time period since November 6, 2000. In A25-54, MSNBC delivered 269,000, besting FOX News’ 259,000 and just ahead of CNN’s 268,000. This was MSNBC’s largest viewer delivery in the daypart since the week of July 2, 2001. This was the 1st time MSNBC beat FOX News and the 1st time FOX News ranked #3 among the cable news networks in this daypart since October 8, 2001.
In prime (M-F 8-11pm), MSNBC continued to lead FOX News and CNN in both total viewers and A25-54 for the 4th straight week. Last week, MSNBC prime averaged 2,578,000 total viewers (vs. FOX News’ 2,240,000 and CNN’s 1,398,000) and 471,000 viewers A25-54 (vs. FOX News’ 355,000 and CNN’s 415,000). With only one week left in December, MSNBC is on track to finish as the #1 cable news network in the daypart across total viewers and A25-54.
“The Rachel Maddow Show” at 9pm finished the week as the #1 program across all cable news. “Maddow” averaged 3,213,000 total viewers (vs. FOX News’ 2,313,000 and CNN’s 1,456,000) and 621,000 viewers A25-54 – nearly doubling FOX News (vs. FOX News’ 343,000 and CNN’s 433,000). “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” at 10pm averaged 2,388,000 total viewers (vs. FOX News’ 2,001,000 and CNN’s 1,300,000) and 428,000 viewers A25-54 (vs. FOX News’ 315,000 and CNN’s 397,000). “The 11th Hour with Brian Williams” at 11pm averaged 1,836,000 total viewers (vs. FOX News’ 1,268,000 and CNN’s 988,000) and 351,000 viewers A25-54 (vs. FOX News’ 239,000 and CNN’s 315,000.
Three MSNBC programs also bested FOX News and CNN among total viewers for the week: “MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi” at 3pm (1,249,000 vs. FOX News’ 1,153,000 and CNN’s 931,000), “Deadline: White House” at 4pm (1,738,000 vs. FOX News’ 1,320,000 and CNN’s 1,121,000) and “Hardball with Chris Matthews” at 7pm (1,926,000 vs. FOX News’ 1,744,000 vs. CNN’s 1,261,000).
MSNBC made the decision, and several shows have a policy of not showing Trump or his tweets before they are fact-checked. That decision along with the network’s refusal to live air White House press briefings and Trump rallies while sticking to the facts has carried MSNBC to the top of the cable news ratings.
MSNBC isn’t anti-Trump, but they are pro-fact. Fox News has to wear Trump like an anchor and cater to his base to stay afloat, but by focusing on good reporting about what this president and administration are doing, MSNBC has zoomed to the top.
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