MSNBC has been on an extraordinary ratings run since Donald Trump was elected POTUS nearly 21 months ago, and it has transformed from a middle-ranked basic cable network into a perennial top 3 cable network in total audience.
MSNBC often finishes No. 2 across basic in prime time, only behind fellow cable news outlet Fox News.
But MSNBC, lifted by its progressive-minded programming in prime time, has seen some year-over-year audience losses vs. its extraordinary 2017. This was also true in July.
The network averaged nearly 1.7 million total viewers in prime time this past month, which is -4 percent vs. its July 2017 average. MSNBC saw more significant losses when it came to younger news viewers, including adults 25-54, where it was -20 percent vs. July 2017 (309,000 vs. 388,000).
The year-over-year trend wasn’t much better across the 24-hour total day, where the network was -1 percent in total viewers and -16 percent in A25-54.
Similar to how CNN played up its wins over MSNBC among younger viewers, the latter is touting its dominance over the former when it comes to ratings in prime time and total audience delivery across multiple dayparts on weekdays.
In total day, July 2018 marked the 17th month in a row that the network topped CNN in total viewers; in prime, MSNBC beat CNN for the 20th straight month; in dayside, MSNBC bested CNN for the 10th straight month.
The numbers for July 2018:
- Primetime (Mon-Sun): 1,663,000 Total Viewers / 309,000 A25-54
- Total Day (Mon-Sun): 921,000 Total Viewers / 177,000 A25-54
On the programming front, The 11th Hour with Brian Williams was the No. 1 cable news program in its timeslot, defeating both Fox News @ Night, and CNN Tonight.
Morning Joe beat CNN New Day in total viewers for the 41st straight month and in A25-54 for the 9th straight month in July 2018.
Rachel Maddow defeated CNN for the 62nd consecutive month in total viewers, and for the 18th consecutive month among adults 25-54. But TRMS actually had its lowest-rated month of the year in the key A25-54 demo, and was down double digits versus its July 2017 performance. Maddow also slipped to No. 3 across cable news behind Tucker Carlson. To be fair, Maddow had the No. 1 program on all of cable news last July, and it would have been hard for the program to replicate that performance in July 2018.
I don’t think MSNBC needs to panic here.
Here is MSNBC’s release:
MSNBC BEATS CNN IN EVERY KEY DAYPART IN JULY 2018
MSNBC Leads CNN in Prime (M-F 8-11pm), Dayside (M-F 9am-5pm) and Total Day (M-Su 6am-6am) in Total Viewers
More Viewers Watch MSNBC Than CNN in Total Day for 17th Straight Month
MSNBC Significantly Narrows Gap with FOX News in All Key Dayparts Year to-Date
MSNBC Weekday Prime Is #2 Network Across All of Cable in Total Viewers in July
“The 11th Hour with Brian Williams” Is #1 in Total Viewers at 11pm
“Morning Joe” Leads CNN in A25-54 for the 9th Straight Month and in Total Viewers for the 41st Straight Month
“The Rachel Maddow Show,” “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell,” “The 11th Hour with Brian Williams,” “Morning Joe First Look” and “Deadline: White House” Score A25-54 and Total Viewer Victories Over CNN
MSNBC Tops CNN Weekdays Every Hour from 5am to 3am
On Weekends, MSNBC Beats CNN Saturdays from 10am to 5pm and Sundays at 7pm
NEW YORK (July 31, 2018) – For the month of July 2018, MSNBC continued to dominate CNN among total viewers in every key daypart, including prime (M-F 8-11pm), dayside (M-F 9am-5pm), and total day (M-Su 6am-6am), according to Nielsen ratings data. In total day, July marked the 17th month in a row that the network topped CNN in total viewers; in prime, MSNBC beat CNN for the 20th straight month; in dayside, MSNBC bested CNN for the 10th straight month. Among all cable networks, MSNBC was the #2 most-watched in prime – ahead of #9 CNN and doubling CNN in total viewers (2.1 million vs. CNN’s 998,000). Additionally, MSNBC prime was in the Top 10 across all cable in A25-54. In total day and dayside, MSNBC was the #3 most-watched network across all cable, ahead of #8 CNN in total day and #4 CNN in dayside.
For 2018 through July, MSNBC has significantly closed the ratings gap with FOX News in all key dayparts. For total day, MSNBC averaged 962,000 total viewers, which is pacing to be the network’s best year ever. MSNBC has narrowed the gap to FOX News by 25% since 2017 and is the closest to FOX News since full year 2002. MSNBC is the only cable news network to show growth in total viewers over full year 2017. In A25-54, MSNBC averaged 204,000, which is also pacing to be a record year for MSNBC. MSNBC has narrowed the A25-54 gap to FOX News by 27% versus 2017 and is the closest to FOX News in this key demo since 2001. MSNBC is the only cable news network to show growth in A25-54 over full year 2017. In addition to gaining on FOX News in this daypart, MSNBC holds a record lead over CNN in total viewers (+42%), and has closed the gap with CNN in A25-54 by 80% and is within striking distance of beating CNN for the 1st time since 2013. MSNBC has also made substantial ground in dayside. MSNBC is averaging 966,000 total viewers, a record pace. MSNBC has closed the gap to FOX News by 36% since 2017 and is closest to FOX News since 2002. MSNBC also leads CNN by 26%, and is pacing to the network’s first annual win ever over CNN. In weekday prime, MSNBC (2,245,000) has narrowed the gap in total viewers to FOX News by 14% and has expanded its lead over CNN – leading CNN by over 1 million viewers each night in prime. MSNBC is the closest to FOX News since 2001 and is pacing to its largest annual win over CNN.
In July 2018, “The 11th Hour with Brian Williams” at 11pm ranked #1 for the month in total viewers, beating both FOX News and CNN. “The 11th Hour” averaged 1.6 million viewers a night, more than doubling CNN (vs. 703,000) and topping CNN for the 24th straight month. “The 11th Hour” also bested CNN in A25-54 for the 10th month in a row, averaging 288,000 (vs. CNN’s 257,000).
“Morning Joe” (M-F 6-9am) beat CNN in total viewers for the 41st straight month and in A25-54 for the 9th straight month in July. In total viewers, “Morning Joe” averaged 1 million total viewers, doubling CNN (vs. 504,000). In A25-54, “Morning Joe” averaged 216,000 (vs. CNN’s 154,000).
“The Rachel Maddow Show” at 9pm and “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” at 10pm both bested CNN in total viewers and A25-54 in July. “Maddow” averaged 2.7 million total viewers (vs. CNN’s 1.1 million), beating CNN for the 62nd straight month, and 511,000 viewers A25-54 (vs. CNN’s 378,000), topping CNN for the 18th straight month. In A18-49, “Maddow” was #1 in the hour. “The Last Word” averaged 2.1 million total viewers (vs. CNN’s 1.1 million), beating CNN for the 38th straight month, and 386,000 viewers A25-54 (vs. CNN’s 355,000), topping CNN for the 10th straight month.
For the month, “Morning Joe First Look” at 5am and “Deadline: White House” at 4pm each scored total viewer and A25-54 victories over CNN. For “First Look,” this was the first A25-54 victory over CNN for MSNBC since May 2014 (102,000 vs. CNN’s 99,000); it was also the 9th straight total viewer win over CNN in the hour. “Deadline” averaged 1.3 million total viewers (vs. CNN’s 833,000), beating CNN for the 10th straight month, and 217,000 viewers A25-54 (vs. CNN’s 216,000).
More viewers turn to MSNBC than CNN during weekdays in July. Every hour of MSNBC’s weekday programming between 5am-3am beat CNN in total viewers, including: “Morning Joe First Look” at 5am for the 9th month in a row; “Morning Joe” from 6-9am for the 41st straight month; “MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle” at 9am for the 18th straight month; “MSNBC Live with Hallie Jackson” at 10am for the 10th straight month; “MSNBC Live with Velshi and Ruhle” at 11am for the 10th straight month; “Andrea Mitchell Reports” at 12pm for the 13th straight month; “MSNBC Live with Craig Melvin” at 1pm for the 9th straight month; “MSNBC Live with Katy Tur” at 2pm for the 9th straight month; “MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi” at 3pm for the 9th straight month; “Deadline: White House” at 4pm for the 10th straight month; “MTP Daily” at 5pm for the 15th straight month; “The Beat with Ari Melber” at 6pm for the 13th straight month (up +23% in total viewers over July 2017 as the show celebrates its one-year anniversary); “Hardball with Chris Matthews” at 7pm for the 24th straight month; “All In with Chris Hayes” at 8pm for the 20th straight month; “The Rachel Maddow Show” at 9pm for the 62nd straight month; “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” at 10pm for the 38th straight month; and “The 11th Hour with Brian Williams” at 11pm for the 24th straight month.
On weekends, MSNBC beat CNN in total viewers on Saturdays every hour from 10am to 5pm and Sundays at 7pm in July. On Saturdays, “AM Joy” at 10am beat CNN in total viewers for the 10th straight month. “AM Joy” also topped CNN on Saturdays in A25-54. On Sundays, “Kasie DC” at 7pm beat CNN in total viewer for the 4th straight month.
NOTE: July 2018 ratings are based on Nielsen Live+Same data day for 7/2/18-7/29/18. Individual show data represents regular programming only, excluding specials and breaking news.
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