MSNBC: Millions Shun Network Basketcase

[JamesL]

In a country of 330 million Americans, only 11, 000 people in the key 25-54 year old demographic were watching the afternoon programming on the disaster known as MSNBC in the last rating period. These horrific ratings were the lowest registered by the network in a decade. It was not much better at the other time periods for the early January ratings for the broadcast day on MSNBC averaged only 55,000 viewers.

Compared to last year, total viewership on MSNBC is down 20 percent in the daytime and 23 percent in prime time. The yearly declines are even greater in the key 25-54 year old demographic, the one coveted by advertisers.

While the MSNBC audience is tanking, the viewership on Fox News is strong. In the afternoon, 20X more people are watching Fox News than MSNBC. This means that Fox is the unquestioned cable news giant.

It is so bad for MSNBC that even the controversial start-up network Al-Jazeera had twice as many afternoon viewers. When a network is bested by a competitor known for providing sympathetic coverage to radical Islamists it is time for a programming change.

With plummeting ratings, it was no surprise that MSNBC announced this week the cancellation of two afternoon programs. The shows airing from 1-3 pm Eastern, “Ronan Farrow Daily” and “The Reid Report,” will be cancelled at the end of the month. The changes are part of MSNBC President Phil Griffin’s plan to move toward a “more news focused line-up.” However, such promises ring hollow as the network features a prime time line-up composed exclusively of liberals.

If Griffin wants to grow his audience he should try more balanced programming. The two cancelled programs were hosted by hard core liberals Ronan Farrow and Joy Ann Reid. They will be replaced by Thomas Roberts who will host a two hour program. Unfortunately, Roberts is another liberal who had previously failed in an earlier attempt to host a show.

Currently, MSNBC is officially irrelevant with ratings so low that local community access programs undoubtedly have better audience numbers. Clearly, viewers are shunning the inexperienced and liberal hosts offered by the network. For example, Ronan Farrow was a youngster hired due to his celebrity status. His mother is Mia Farrow, an actress, and his biological father is reportedly Frank Sinatra. Sadly for Farrow his blue eyes were not enough to keep his program on the air.

More...

 

[JamesL]

Report: Sharpton's Show On The Chopping Block

Thursday, MSNBC announced the cancelation of Ronan Farrow's and Joy Reid's afternoon bombs—a move many saw coming for some time now with both shows consistently tanking in the ratings. But inside sources say that the dual cancelations are just the beginning of a major shakeup at ratings-challenged MSNBC, as the network attempts to move back toward the center after veering far left. Next on the chopping block: Chris Hayes and Al Sharpton.

Citing two "well-placed sources," The Daily Beast reports that in addition to canceling Chris Hayes' struggling 8 p.m. show in the "relatively short term," Al Sharpton's weeknight 6 p.m. show is likely to get the ax "in the longer term," with the controversial host relegated to a weekend slot.

Sharpton's "PoliticsNation," though popular with African Americans (accounting for 35 percent of the audience), has continued to underperform—as has the host, who is regularly mocked for his teleprompter gaffs and insincere posturing. Sharpton's self-promotional version of civil rights activism, his deplorable tax record, and controversy-ridden past have frequently resulted in unflattering headlines during his stint at the network.

MSNBC President Phil Griffin's personnel and programming changes are part of a larger move away from the left-wing political commentary that has become MSNBC's trademark toward straight news reporting.

“Everybody in the food chain from top to bottom understands that the Olbermann era is over,” said one of the sources. “Going left was a brilliant strategy while it lasted and made hundreds of millions of dollars for Comcast, but now it doesn’t work any more...The goal is to move away from left-wing TV.”

 

[gwb-trading]

“Everybody in the food chain from top to bottom understands that the Olbermann era is over,” said one of the sources. “Going left was a brilliant strategy while it lasted and made hundreds of millions of dollars for Comcast, but now it doesn’t work any more...The goal is to move away from left-wing TV.”

Classic!

I will give MSNBC President Phil Griffin credit for recognizing that MSNBC needs to move away from the left-wing political commentary and to straight news reporting in order to survive. He has stated this for a while and is willing to take steps to back it up - no matter how much criticism he takes from the extreme left for the changes.

 

[Ricter]

Today alone over 7 billion people utterly ignored the channel.

 

[Max E.]

Sharpton served his purpose, he was only there to try to add some kind of legitamacy to false liberal cries of racism, soon obama will be gone though and there will be no need for him, the network knows this, the writing is on the wall.

Report: Sharpton's Show On The Chopping Block

Thursday, MSNBC announced the cancelation of Ronan Farrow's and Joy Reid's afternoon bombs—a move many saw coming for some time now with both shows consistently tanking in the ratings. But inside sources say that the dual cancelations are just the beginning of a major shakeup at ratings-challenged MSNBC, as the network attempts to move back toward the center after veering far left. Next on the chopping block: Chris Hayes and Al Sharpton.

Citing two "well-placed sources," The Daily Beast reports that in addition to canceling Chris Hayes' struggling 8 p.m. show in the "relatively short term," Al Sharpton's weeknight 6 p.m. show is likely to get the ax "in the longer term," with the controversial host relegated to a weekend slot.

Sharpton's "PoliticsNation," though popular with African Americans (accounting for 35 percent of the audience), has continued to underperform—as has the host, who is regularly mocked for his teleprompter gaffs and insincere posturing. Sharpton's self-promotional version of civil rights activism, his deplorable tax record, and controversy-ridden past have frequently resulted in unflattering headlines during his stint at the network.

MSNBC President Phil Griffin's personnel and programming changes are part of a larger move away from the left-wing political commentary that has become MSNBC's trademark toward straight news reporting.

“Everybody in the food chain from top to bottom understands that the Olbermann era is over,” said one of the sources. “Going left was a brilliant strategy while it lasted and made hundreds of millions of dollars for Comcast, but now it doesn’t work any more...The goal is to move away from left-wing TV.”

 

[gwb-trading]

Today alone over 7 billion people utterly ignored the channel.

For good reason... it sucks.

 

[Max E.]

Today alone over 7 billion people utterly ignored the channel.

Most of those people would probably ignore it twice if they could.

 

[JamesL]

Sharpton served his purpose, he was only there to try to add some kind of legitamacy to false liberal cries of racism, soon obama will be gone though and there will be no need for him, the network knows this, the writing is on the wall.

So now they will go overboard hiring women?

 

[wjk]

Sharpton served his purpose, he was only there to try to add some kind of legitamacy to false liberal cries of racism, soon obama will be gone though and there will be no need for him, the network knows this, the writing is on the wall.

He needs to pay his taxes, or pay the price like everyone else...no wait...he's a lib. Guess he's exempt.

 

[Max E.]

So now they will go overboard hiring women?

No doubt some famous bottom of the barrell radical feminists who are worse than the rest of them will make their way into the regular lineup just before the 2016 elections.