Analysis: Can MSNBC Afford to Have Rachel Maddow Return to a Monday-Only Schedule?
In that time, Maddow has given MSNBC a ratings boost, fueling the network to double-digit growth in primetime and total day.
MSNBC suffered a sharp ratings decline after the conclusion of the 2024 presidential election, which saw Trump return to the White House for a second term. The network's primetime ratings fall by 57% between Election Day and December 31, 2024.
MSNBC averaged 660,000 primetime viewers and 55,000 A25-54 viewers during that period. That was a steep decline from December 2023 when it averaged 1.3 million total viewers and 114,000 demo viewers.
In January, The Rachel Maddow Show averaged 1.711 million total viewers and 137,000 viewers in the advertiser-coveted Adults 25-54 demo during primetime. Those numbers rose significantly during February to 1.945 million total viewers and 181,000 A25-54 viewers-a month-to-month improvement of +53% and +76%, respectively.
The Rachel Maddow Show continued that strong performance during the first week of March, drawing 1.917 million total viewers and 167,000 A25-54 viewers in primetime. It also ranked as the only cable news program outside of the Fox News universe to finish among the Top 15 shows in both measured categories.
Additionally, Maddow's presence on the schedule has lifted surrounding MSNBC programs. All In with Chris Hayes and The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell have regularly topped over a million total viewers since her return.
Having Maddow on each night of the week has certainly benefited MSNBC. The question is: Will that momentum continue when she returns to a Monday-only schedule in May?
MSNBC declined to comment when TVNewser reached out about their post-100 days programming plan. However, a source at the network notes that Maddow's current schedule was always intended to be temporary.
This data shows the importance of Maddow to MSNBC's recent ratings performance. She is a viewer favorite and has a loyal audience who enjoy watching her takes on the current political situation. The network is trending in the right direction with its core audience of progressive viewers seeking the latest news and commentary about the second Trump administration.
Incoming MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler recently unveiled a new program lineup set to take effect in April. Maddow will return to her once-a-week schedule, with Jen Psaki becoming the face of the 9 p.m. time slot on Tuesdays through Fridays.
But Psaki may face a similar challenge as her predecessor, Alex Wagner. While Alex Wagner Tonight consistently finished in second place during the 9 p.m. time period in both measured categories, the show's numbers came nowhere close to The Rachel Maddow Show. Between Nov. 15, 2024 and Jan. 16, 2025, Alex Wagner Tonight averaged 679,458 total viewers and 66,208 A25-54 viewers.
Meanwhile, Psaki's Sunday and Monday shows this year have a combined average of 777,684 total viewers and 70,658 demo viewers.
Wagner is currently traveling the country covering the impact of Trump's first 100 days and will transition to MSNBC's senior political analyst as part of the larger programming overhaul.
Back at home, Kutler is in the midst of a rebuild as MSNBC will soon be separating from NBCUniversal News Group to join the spin-off company SpinCo. The network will continue to be based in New York following the split and has announced plans to hire over 100 journalists to build up its newsgathering operations.
But with Maddow returning to a once-a-week schedule, MSNBC also faces losing a consistent performer on its primetime schedule. With the cable news industry at large facing challenges as a result of changing viewership habits, the presence of familiar faces in familiar time slots is one proven way to retain existing audiences.
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