MSNBC is showing an interesting trend.
In total viewers, it’s golden. MSNBC continues to be the second-most-watched network on basic cable, seemingly growing its total audience on annual basis. In fact, in Q3 2018 MSNBC posted network-record audiences across the 6 a.m. – 6 a.m. daypart (1.04 million) and dayside (Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.), and also delivered its biggest lead over CNN in those dayparts, according to Nielsen data.
In total viewers, MSNBC continued to close the ratings gap with Fox News in both total day and dayside. MSNBC’s ratings in those key dayparts were at their closest quarterly levels to Fox News since 2002.
When it comes to adults 25-54 and those younger news demographics, however, the network is seeing losses. In fact, MSNBC finished behind CNN in the total day demo.
Perhaps something advertisers will become mindful of.
In Q3 2018, MSNBC posted +6 percent total prime time viewer growth, but -10 percent in the prime time demo vs. Q3 2017. The trend is similar across the 24-hour day. MSNBC is +10 percent in total day viewers vs. Q3 2017, but -9 percent in A25-54 viewers across the total day.
Perhaps that fascinating story from earlier this year named “The Age of the MSNBC mom” has some validity to it.
The ratings for Q3, 2018 (Nielsen Live + Same Day data):
- Prime time (Mon-Sun): 1,859,000 total viewers / 346,000 A25-54
- Total Day (Mon-Sun): 1,042,000 total viewers /195,000 A25-54
From a Q3 programming standpoint – It was seemingly all about Morning Joe. The program delivered a record quarter, posting a new total viewer high (1.12 million) as well as the program’s largest lead over CNN ever.
MJ was up in the high single digits year-over-year, while Fox & Friends posted a slight decline vs. Q3 2017, and New Day was down double digits vs. Q3 2017.
Rachel Maddow slipped to No. 2 across cable news after finishing No. 1 in Q3 2017, while The 11th Hour with Brian Williams had its best quarter ever from a total viewers standpoint (1.7 million), defeating its 11 p.m. timeslot competition in the process.
Lastly, every hour of MSNBC programming from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. recorded their highest quarterly total audience ever in Q3 2018.
Here’s MSNBC’s press release:
MSNBC SCORES ALL-TIME HIGHS IN 3Q18, DELIVERS BIGGEST TOTAL VIEWER LEAD OVER CNN IN MSNBC HISTORY
MSNBC Total Day (M-Su 6am-6am) and Dayside (M-F 9am-5pm) Are the Closest to FOX News in More Than 15 Years in Total Viewers
MSNBC Total Day and Dayside Post Year-Over-Year Total Viewer Growth While CNN Declines, MSNBC Tops CNN for 5th Consecutive Quarter in Dayside and 6th for Total Day
Weekday Prime (M-F 8-11pm), Dayside and Total Day Rank #2 Across All Cable TV in Total Viewers for 3rd Straight Quarter
“Morning Joe” Posts Record-Breaking Quarter with Largest Lead Over CNN, Tops CNN in A25-54 for 5th Straight Quarter and Total Viewers for 14th Straight Quarter
“The Rachel Maddow Show” is the #2 Program Across All Cable News, Beats CNN for 7th Straight Quarter in A25-54 and 36th Straight Quarter Among Total Viewers
“The 11th Hour with Brian Williams” is #1 in Total Viewers at 11pm, Tops CNN in A25-54 for the 6th Straight Quarter
“Deadline: White House” is #1 in Total Viewers at 4pm
“MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle” and “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” Top CNN in A25-54 and Total Viewers
MSNBC Posts Total Viewer Highs from 6-9am and Every Hour from 9am to 7pm, 10pm and 11pm
On Weekends, MSNBC Beat CNN During “AM Joy” and “Kasie DC” and Saturdays from 2-6pm and Sundays from 10am-9pm
NEW YORK (October 2, 2018) – In the 3rd quarter of 2018, MSNBC scored all-time ratings highs in the key dayparts of total day (M-Su 6am-6am) and dayside (M-F 9am-5pm), delivering MSNBC’s largest total viewer audience ever as well as the network’s biggest lead over CNN in those dayparts, according to Nielsen. In total viewers, MSNBC continued to close the ratings gap with FOX News in both total day and dayside. MSNBC’s ratings in those key dayparts were at their closest quarterly levels to FOX News since 2002. MSNBC was the only cable news network to grow year-over-year in both total day and dayside, while CNN faced ratings declines. MSNBC dayside was up +20% in total viewers with 1.11M (vs. CNN’s 850,000) as compared to 3Q17, while CNN was down -2%. In total day, MSNBC with 1.04M (vs. CNN’s 722,000) rose +10% in total viewers compared to the previous year, while CNN was down -9%. In total viewers, MSNBC topped CNN in total day for the 6th consecutive quarter and in dayside for the 5th quarter in a row. MSNBC also recorded the network’s biggest quarterly lead over CNN in MSNBC history.
Weekday prime (8-11pm), total day and dayside ranked #2 across all cable television in total viewers for the 3rd straight quarter in 3Q18. In prime, MSNBC ranked ahead of #3 ESPN and #6 CNN. MSNBC prime averaged 2.34M total viewers, more than double CNN’s 1.16 million. In dayside, MSNBC ranked ahead of #3 Nickelodeon and #4 CNN. In total day, MSNBC ranked ahead of #4 HGTV and #5 CNN.
“Morning Joe” at 6am delivered a record quarter, posting a new total viewer high as well as the program’s largest lead over CNN ever. “Morning Joe” averaged 1.12M total viewers, up +9% over 3Q17, doubling CNN (556,000). Both CNN and FOX News were down vs. 3Q18 (CNN -14% and FOX News -3%). This was the 14th straight quarter “Morning Joe” beat CNN in total viewers. In A25-54, “Morning Joe” averaged 225,000 viewers (vs. CNN’s 172,000), beating CNN for the 5th straight quarter.
“The Rachel Maddow Show” at 9pm was the #2 most-watched program across all cable news for the quarter in both A25-54 and total viewers. “Maddow” averaged 2.95M total viewers (vs. CNN’s 1.23M), beating CNN for the 36th straight quarter, and averaged 573,000 viewers A25-54 (vs. CNN’s 405,000), beating CNN for the 7th quarter in a row.
“The 11th Hour with Brian Williams,” with record ratings, was #1 in total viewers for the quarter at 11pm. “The 11th Hour” averaged 1.70M total viewers (vs. FOX News’ 1.53M and CNN’s 844,000). It was the 5th quarter of the past six that “The 11th Hour” ranked #1 in total viewers at 11pm. In A25-54, “The 11th Hour” averaged 316,000 viewers, topping CNN (292,000) for the 6th straight quarter.
“Deadline: White House” broke the MSNBC 4pm rating record and was #1 in total viewers for the quarter. “Deadline” averaged 1.48M total viewers (vs. FOX News’ 1.46M and CNN’s 990,000). “Deadline” was also the only cable news program in its hour to post year-over-year growth, up +36% in total viewers (vs. FOX News’ -3% and CNN’s -2%) and +8% in A25-54 (vs. FOX News’ -11% and CNN’s -6%).
“The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” at 10pm topped CNN in A25-54 for the 6th straight quarter and in total viewers for the 13th straight quarter. In a record quarter for the program, “The Last Word” averaged 2.31M total viewers (vs. CNN’s 1.16M). In A25-54, “The Last Word” averaged 418,000 viewers (vs. CNN’s 385,000).
“MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle” at 9am topped CNN in A25-54 for the 2nd quarter in a row and in total viewers for the 7th straight quarter. In A25-54, “MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle” averaged 193,000 viewers (vs. CNN’s 192,000). In total viewers, the program averaged 1.11M viewers (vs. CNN’s 710,000), delivering the show’s best total viewer ratings ever. “MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle” was also the only cable news program in its hour to grow year-over-year in total viewers, up +14% in total viewers (vs. FOX News’ -7% and CNN’s -8%).
Every hour of MSNBC programming from 9am to 7pm recorded their highest quarterly total viewer ratings during 3Q18, including: “MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle” at 9am (topping CNN for the 7th consecutive quarter); “MSNBC Live with Hallie Jackson” at 10am (topping CNN for the 5th consecutive quarter); “MSNBC Live with Velshi & Ruhle” at 11am (topping CNN for the 5th consecutive quarter) [note: “MSNBC Live with Velshi & Ruhle” moved from 11am to 1pm during the last week of the quarter beginning 9/24/2018]; “Andrea Mitchell Reports” at 12pm (topping CNN for the 5th consecutive quarter); “MSNBC Live with Craig Melvin” at 1pm (topping CNN for the 5th consecutive quarter) [note: “MSNBC Live with Craig Melvin” moved from 1pm to 11am during the last week of the quarter beginning 9/24/2018]; “MSNBC Live with Katy Tur” at 2pm (topping CNN for the 4th consecutive quarter); “MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi” at 3pm (topping CNN for the 4th consecutive quarter); “Deadline: White House” at 4pm (topping CNN for the 5th consecutive quarter); “MTP Daily” at 5pm (topping CNN for the 5th consecutive quarter); and “The Beat with Ari Melber” at 6pm (topping CNN for the 5th consecutive quarter). Several other MSNBC programs also had record quarters, including: “Morning Joe” at 6am (topping CNN for the 14th consecutive quarter); “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” at 10pm (topping CNN for the 13th consecutive quarter); and “The 11th Hour with Brian Williams” at 11pm (topping CNN for the 8th consecutive quarter). For the 4th quarter in a row, every hour of MSNBC’s weekday programming from 5am-3am beat CNN in total viewers, including: “Morning Joe First Look” at 5am (topping CNN for the 4th consecutive quarter); “Hardball with Chris Matthews” at 7pm (topping CNN for the 21st consecutive quarter); “All In with Chris Hayes” at 8pm (topping CNN for the 7th consecutive quarter); and “The Rachel Maddow Show” at 9pm (topping CNN for the 36th consecutive quarter).
On weekends, MSNBC’s regularly scheduled programming beat CNN Saturdays from 10am-12pm and 2-6pm, and Sundays from 10am-9pm. On Saturdays, “AM Joy” at 10am beat CNN in total viewers for the 4th straight quarter, averaging 1.11M viewers (vs. CNN’s 766,000), up +8% over 3Q17 (vs. FOX News’ -10% and CNN’s -27%). On Sundays, “AM Joy” at 10am topped CNN in total viewers for the 3rd quarter in a row, averaging 955,000 viewers (vs. CNN’s 856,000), up +6% over 3Q17 (vs. FOX News’ +4% and CNN’s -8%). On Sundays, “Kasie DC” at 7pm had record ratings, besting CNN in total viewers for the 3rd straight quarter and averaging 803,000 (vs. CNN’s 640,000) and up +15% over 3Q17 (vs. FOX News’ -19% and CNN’s -13%).
NOTE: 3Q18 ratings are based on Nielsen Live+Same data day for 7/2/18-9/30/18. Individual show data represents regular programming only, excluding specials and breaking news. The 11am time period includes “MSNBC Live with Velshi & Ruhle” from 7/2/18-9/21/18 and “MSNBC Live with Craig Melvin” from 9/24/18-9/28/18. The 1pm time period includes “MSNBC Live with Craig Melvin” from 7/2/18-9/21/18 and “MSNBC Live with Velshi & Ruhle” from 9/24/18-9/28/18.
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