Latest news with #RebeccaKutler
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Why Jen Psaki saw 47% drop in viewership
MSNBC's Jen Psaki has lost roughly half her audience since taking over for Rachel Maddow in the network's coveted 9pm slot last month. President Biden's former press secretary replaced the 'The Rachel Maddow Show' with her nightly show 'The Briefing with Jen Psaki' on May 6. Psaki raked in just 971,000 viewers over the month, down from Maddow's 1.89million earned throughout 2025 a 47 percent drop, according to May's ratings report. MSNBC's ratings have fallen drastically in recent years, spurring a split from NBCUniversal and NBC News that will soon see the network sit at the top of an entirely new company comprised of Comcast cable channels. In February 2021, MSNBC averaged a total of 1.4million total viewers every hour throughout the day and an average of 2.9million total viewers during primetime hours. Today, those numbers are down to just 545,000 viewers and 718,000 total viewers, respectively - a more than 50 percent decline on both ends. Its ratings are still worsening from month to month, with the May report showing that trend continuing at a startling pace. Psaki - pegged to lead a new primetime lineup being implemented by MSBNC's new boss Rebecca Kutler - pulled 78,000 viewers from the coveted 25-54 age demographic, down 52 percent from Maddow and Alex Wagner's 161,000 before Maddow returned to full-time. Maddow - who marked the end of her 100-day run by attacking Trump on May 5 - managed 2.066 million total viewers and 173,000 in the 25-54 demo during her final week, more than double Psaki's first week. The month-long statistics mean the rest of the month stayed relatively the same, with the rest of Kutler's primetime lineup experiencing drops as well. The Weeknight - a panel show that features former Kamala Harris rep Symone Sanders-Townsend; the daughter of disgraced former Senator Bob Menendez, Alicia Menednez; and ex-RNC Committee Chair Michael Steele, as hosts - averaged 776,000 total viewers through May 28 - down from its predecessor, The ReidOut. Hosted by a since-fired Joy Reid, the ReidOut raked in nearly 3 million viewers per episode on average during its first year on the air in 2020. By February 20, the number was down to 778,000. Throughout 2025, the 7pm show pulled in 886,000 total viewers - 12 percent more than its replacement. The Weeknight performed even worse when looking at the 25-54 demo, with a 20 percent decrease to 72,000 viewers. A third new show, The Weekend: Primetime with Antonia Hylton, Catherine Rampell, Elise Jordan and Ayman Mohyeldin, is down 11 percent among total viewers and 6 percent in the most important age demographic. Meanwhile, MSNBC is simultaneously preparing for its impending split from NBC News and other NBCUniversal assets later this year. Once it does, the left-leaning station will join a completely new company called Versant, which will be comprised entirely of Comcast channels. The company will be headed by former NBCU exec Mark Lazarus, who reportedly gave Maddow a $5million pay cut as one of his first moves upon taking his position late last year. She now earns $25 million a year. While she remains a ratings draw, Maddow's audience is older and there have been rumblings of discontent inside MSNBC, according to Puck. Execs were hoping the spinoff will transform what is widely viewed as a declining asset into the flagship of a growing startup, while also bringing in more money from other sources such as streaming. 'We have the ability to transcend this linear cable box,' Kutler - the leader of programming for the failed CNN+ - told Politico of her plans last month 'We have the ability to build things.' Former White House Press Secretary Psaki is seen as the network's new star, but is off to a rocky start.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Crisis at MSNBC as Jen Psaki's dismal ratings are released after taking over for Rachel Maddow
MSNBC's Jen Psaki has lost roughly half her audience since taking over for Rachel Maddow in the network's coveted 9pm slot last month. President Biden's former press secretary replaced the 'The Rachel Maddow Show' with her nightly show 'The Briefing with Jen Psaki' on May 6. Psaki raked in just 971,000 viewers over the month, down from Maddow's 1.89million earned throughout 2025 a 47 percent drop, according to May's ratings report. Prior to May 6, Maddow had hosted her hit show for five nights a week to cover the first 100 days of Donald Trump 's presidency. Maddow continues to host on Mondays while Psaki broadcasts Tuesday through Friday. The numbers show MSNBC's flagship addition to its lineup failing to move the needle a month in. MSNBC's rating have fallen drastically in recent years, spurring a split from NBCUniversal and NBC News that will soon see the network sit at the top of an entirely new company comprised of Comcast cable channels. In February 2021, MSNBC averaged a total of 1.4million total viewers every hour throughout the day and an average of 2.9million total viewers during primetime hours. Today, those numbers are down to just 545,000 viewers and 718,000 total viewers, respectively - a more than 50 percent decline on both ends. Its ratings are still worsening from month to month, with the May report showing that trend continuing at a startling pace. Psaki - pegged to lead a new primetime lineup being implemented by MSBNC's new boss Rebecca Kutler - pulled 78,000 viewers from the coveted 25-54 age demographic, down 52 percent from Maddow and Alex Wagner's 161,000 before Maddow returned to full-time. Maddow - who marked the end of her 100-day run by attacking Trump on May 5 - managed 2.066million total viewers and 173,000 in the 25-54 demo during her final week, more than double Psaki's first week. The month-long statistics mean the rest of the month stayed relatively the same, with the rest of Kutler's primetime lineup experiencing drops as well. The Weeknight - a panel show that features former Kamala Harris rep Symone Sanders-Townsend; the daughter of disgraced former Senator Bob Menendez, Alicia Menednez; and ex-RNC Committee Chair Michael Steele, as hosts - averaged 776,000 total viewers through May 28 - down from its predecessor, The ReidOut. Hosted by a since-fired Joy Reid, the ReidOut raked in nearly 3 million viewers per episode on average during its first year on the air in 2020. By February 20, the number was down to 778,000. Throughout 2025, the 7pm show pulled in 886,000 total viewers - 12 percent more than its replacement. The Weeknight performed even worse when looking at the 25-54 demo, with a 20 percent decrease to 72,000 viewers. A third new show, The Weekend: Primetime with Antonia Hylton, Catherine Rampell, Elise Jordan and Ayman Mohyeldin, is down 11 percent among total viewers and 6 percent in the most important age demographic. Meanwhile, MSNBC is simultaneously preparing for its impending split from NBC News and other NBCUniversal assets later this year. Once it does, the left-leaning station will join a completely new company called Versant, which will be comprised entirely of Comcast channels. The company will be headed by former NBCU exec Mark Lazarus, who reportedly gave Maddow a $5million pay cut as one of his first moves upon taking his position late last year. She now earns $25 million a year. While she remains a ratings draw, Maddow's audience is older and there have been rumblings of discontent inside MSNBC, according to Puck. Execs were hoping the spinoff will transform what is widely viewed as a declining asset into the flagship of a growing startup, while also bringing in more money from other sources such as streaming. 'We have the ability to transcend this linear cable box,' Kutler - the leader of programming for the failed CNN+ - told Politico of her plans last month 'We have the ability to build things.'
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Ari Melber reportedly weighing exit from MSNBC for new venture
Advertisement MSNBC appears to be losing yet another top anchor as Ari Melber (pictured) has reportedly been meeting with rivals amid an exodus for the broadcaster. Melber, 45, has been in talks to leave the network and is even considering launching his own media company, according to Breaker. Two sources familiar with Melber's thinking told the publication that he is speaking to other networks as the struggling MSNBC catapults into irrelevancy with tumbling ratings across the board. Melber hosts the 6pm show The Beat, which has been running since 2017, and is considered a ratings winner for the network. He also serves as chief legal correspondent and has amassed a healthy following on YouTube, which is a huge part of new MSNBC boss Rebecca Kutler's vision for the future of the flailing network. Kutler made waves by firing Joy Reid as one of her first maneuvers in February as part of a programming bloodbath. Katie Phang, Jonathan Capehart and Ayman Mohyeldin also lost their shows, though the latter two will be moving to new shows elsewhere on the network. And just last month it emerged that election night favorite Steve Kornacki had quit his role at MSNBC ahead of the impending split from parent company NBCUniversal. Kornacki (pictured), famed for his fascinating data updates during presidential election counts, will instead stick with NBC News. He will now devote his expertise to shows like 'Meet the Press,' 'Today' and 'NBC Nightly News,' as well as the network's streaming channel, NBC News Now. The data reporter, 45, is one of few on-air talents who has found success with both conservative and liberal fanbases - thanks to his relentlessly information-driven updates, delivered with no hint as to his personal beliefs. Kornacki, upon signing his new contract, opted for NBC News - a network that itself has been plagued by high-profile exits. Lester Holt (pictured) revealed he would be stepping down from Nightly News last month - though staying with Dateline - and Longtime Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd left his post in January, taking his successful podcast with him in the process. That same month, Hoda Kotb left her long-held post at Today, following a 26-year NBC News career . Like Holt, Kotb is also staying at the network - though in an unspecified role. MSNBC is preparing for its impending split from NBC News and other NBCUniversal assets later this year. Once it does, the left-leaning station will spearhead a completely new company called Versant, which will be comprised entirely of Comcast channels. Kutler (pictured) recently appointed longtime Wall Street Journal reporter and editor Sudeep Reddy to helm the new Washington D.C. bureau as the network gears up for a refresh. The decision was likely a surprise to some considering Reddy's straight news, unbiased pedigree, which also includes a lengthy senior managing stint at Politico. Before that, Reddy, 45, spent nearly a decade with the Journal, where his coverage was deeply rooted in economics.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Another high-profile MSNBC anchor appears ready to exit as struggling liberal network sinks into irrelevancy
MSNBC appears to be losing yet another top anchor as Ari Melber has reportedly been meeting with rivals amid an exodus for the broadcaster. Melber, 45, has been in talks to leave the network and is even considering launching his own media company, according to Breaker. Two sources familiar with Melber's thinking told the publication that he is speaking to other networks as the struggling MSNBC catapults into irrelevancy with tumbling ratings across the board. Melber hosts the 6pm show The Beat, which has been running since 2017, and is considered a ratings winner for the network. He also serves as chief legal correspondent and has amassed a healthy following on YouTube, which is a huge part of new MSNBC boss Rebecca Kutler's vision for the future of the flailing network. Kutler made waves by firing Joy Reid as one of her first maneuvers in February as part of a programming bloodbath. Katie Phang, Jonathan Capehart and Ayman Mohyeldin also lost their shows, though the latter two will be moving to new shows elsewhere on the network. And just last month it emerged that election night favorite Steve Kornacki had quit his role at MSNBC ahead of the impending split from parent company NBCUniversal. Kornacki, famed for his fascinating data updates during presidential election counts, will instead stick with NBC News. He will now devote his expertise to shows like 'Meet the Press,' 'Today' and 'NBC Nightly News,' as well as the network's streaming channel, NBC News Now. The data reporter, 45, is one of few on-air talents who has found success with both conservative and liberal fanbases - thanks to his relentlessly information-driven updates, delivered with no hint as to his personal beliefs. Kornacki, upon signing his new contract, opted for NBC News - a network that itself has been plagued by high-profile exits. Lester Holt revealed he would be stepping down from Nightly News last month - though staying with Dateline - and Longtime Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd left his post in January, taking his successful podcast with him in the process. That same month, Hoda Kotb left her long-held post at Today, following a 26-year NBC News career. Like Holt, Kotb is also staying at the network - though in an unspecified role. MSNBC is preparing for its impending split from NBC News and other NBCUniversal assets later this year. Once it does, the left-leaning station will spearhead a completely new company called Versant, which will be comprised entirely of Comcast channels. Jonathan Capehart and Ayman Mohyeldin also lost their shows, though they will be moving to new shows elsewhere on the networ. Kutler recently appointed longtime Wall Street Journal reporter and editor Sudeep Reddy to helm the new Washington D.C. bureau as the network gears up for a refresh. The decision was likely a surprise to some considering Reddy's straight news, unbiased pedigree, which also includes a lengthy senior managing stint at Politico. Before that, Reddy, 45, spent nearly a decade with the Journal, where his coverage was deeply rooted in economics. Kutler hopes the refresh will help give ratings a boost after an embarrassing few months. In the 25-54 demographic, MSNBC averaged 55,000 in December, compared to 114,000 in December 2023. By May, MSNBC was down 29 percent in total viewers and 40 percent in the demo in primetime. In total for the week of May 12, the network averaged 532,000 total viewers.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Axed MSNBC host Katie Phang reveals her next move
Published: | Katie Phang (pictured) has launched a YouTube channel under a left-leaning media umbrella after she was canceled from MSNBC. The Katie Phang Show was one of several casualties brought on by a lineup shift implemented by new network boss Rebecca Kutler in early 2025. Now, almost one month after her final show aired on the network, she has unveiled her new business venture - revealing she actually gave keen listeners a clue in her final MSNBC appearance. Phang will join the MeidasTouch media group with a brand new YouTube show titled Phang Unleashed. 'YouTube is the perfect place for Katie Unleashed,' the attorney and legal analyst wrote on X. 'We'll talk about the law, politics, and culture. You'll hear from trusted, familiar voices. And you'll hear from new voices with fresh takes. It's time we realize WE are the cavalry we've been waiting for,' she added.' The revelation should have come as no surprise to longtime viewers after Phang teased the collaboration in her final on-air appearance. At the time, she said she would 'meet you where you are at places like Substack and YouTube with fellow truth tellers like MeidasTouch.' Phang has also launched a Substack account to go alongside her new show. 'When it came time for me to get out of mainstream media and find my way into the holy land of independent journalism, I could not think of a better place to be than [with] the guys at MeidasTouch,' she said in her first YouTube episde alongside MeidasTouch co-founder Ben Meiselas. In her second to last episode on air, an emotional Phang cried as she interviewed Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. Joy Reid, Jonathan Capehart and Ayman Mohyeldin also said goodbye to their programs as part of a strategic overhaul from higher-ups. Capehart and Mohyeldin will fill different roles on the network as well, with news shows being built around them. The same could not be said for Phang, who, like Reid, twisted the identity-politics knife while lamenting her situation after seeing her show pulled by her bosses. 'I was proud to platform more AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) voices than any other cable show ever,' Phang wrote in a pointed post to Instagram in February. 'Representation matters,' she concluded. 'I went hard on so many issues,' Reid complained separately, while weeping through her remarks on a Zoom call to supporters. 'Whether it was the Black Lives Matter, issues of a young baby or a mom or dad that was killed or when we opened up people's eyes to the fact that Asian Americans were being targeted, and not just Black folks. 'My show had value,' she insisted. As for MSNBC, the picture has gone from bad to worse. In February 2021, MSNBC averaged a total of 1.4 million total viewers every hour throughout the entire day and an average of 2.9 million total viewers during only primetime hours. Today, those numbers have dwindled down to just roughly 600,000 and 1 million total viewers, respectively - a more than 50 percent decline on both ends.
