MSNBC has a reputation as a network that loves covering politics, with a perceived focus on progressive issues. You’d think the announcement that Hillary Clinton is, in fact, running for president in 2016 would give MSNBC a bump. Turns out, MSNBC’s ratings problems are so serious even a Clinton can’t draw an audience.
According to Nielsen data, on Sunday at 3 p.m., when cable news covered the release of Clinton’s video making her run official, MSNBC drew just 28,000 viewers in the key demo–a distant fourth behind CNN (206,000), Fox News (115,000) and HLN, which stuck with “Forensic Files” (71,000).
CNN’s 3 p.m. hour was its highest-rated hour in the key demo Sunday, outperforming primetime draws like Bill Weir‘s “The Wonder List” and “Finding Jesus.”