Jen Psaki Faces Major MSNBC Collapse
Jen Psaki Faces Major MSNBC Collapse
Jen Psaki’s new show on MSNBC, following her tenure as the Biden administration’s press secretary, has encountered a sharp decline in viewership, with ratings that are far below expectations.
Initially, Psaki’s debut episode drew 1.2 million viewers, with 139,000 in the highly sought-after 25-54 age demographic, a key group for advertisers.
However, the following evening saw a dramatic drop, with her show attracting just over one million viewers and a mere 65,000 in the same demographic.
This was a significant decline from the previous numbers.
In comparison, Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s top-rated host, pulled in 1.9 million viewers with 141,000 in the coveted demographic during the same time frame the previous week, per the Conservative Brief.
Psaki’s second episode shed 46% of its total viewers and 54% of its audience in the key demographic from Maddow’s viewership.
Ratings for Psaki’s show were consistently lower than those of both Fox News and CNN. In fact, 13 CNN shows and all Fox News programming outperformed her show in terms of viewership.
In addition, her program was even beaten in total viewers by popular cable reruns like “Friends,” “Seinfeld,” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
The show also performed poorly in the key 9 p.m. time slot for MSNBC, marking the lowest-rated show in that position since December 2024, when Alex Wagner’s show scored only 40,000 in the 25-54 demo.
Psaki’s disappointing ratings come at a time when other MSNBC shows are also struggling. For example, Nicolle Wallace’s show, Deadline: White House, has seen a sharp decline in its audience since President Donald Trump’s victory in November 2024.
Her viewership fell by 35% and now averages around one million viewers per day, down from 1.6 million in early 2024.
Among viewers aged 25-54, Wallace’s ratings have dropped significantly, from 144,000 before the election to just 93,000 currently. This decline has affected her appeal to advertisers, making her less of a draw for the key demographic.
Wallace’s show even trails behind non-news programming such as “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” on the Food Network and BET’s “Tyler Perry’s Sistas” in terms of viewership in this key group.
While Psaki’s show was expected to fill the prime 9 p.m. time slot after Maddow’s shift to a weekly schedule, it has not met the network’s hopes. Her show’s performance raises questions about the broader appeal of MSNBC’s political content and the potential long-term viability of its evening programming.
Despite initial optimism, both Psaki and Wallace are now facing the reality of declining ratings, with key segments of their audience showing no signs of returning. This trend could have a lasting impact on the network’s strategy as it looks to adjust its lineup for future success.
Psaki P-Sucks!!!
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) May 10, 2025
Psaki’s new MSNBC “Briefing”…… lost 200K viewers by the 2nd episode. pic.twitter.com/mN6tZ3ruZp
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