MSNBC’s Prime Time Pinch

Now, with about two months of data in, the numbers suggest the overhaul of the lineup is, at the very least, off to a slow start out of the gate.

At 7 p.m., MSNBC launched “The Weeknight,” an ensemble show anchored by Michael Steele, Symone Sanders-Townsend, and Alicia Menendez. From May 5 to June 29, the show has averaged 828,000 total viewers and 84,000 in the advertiser-coveted 25-54 demo. Those figures represent a 31% decline in total viewers and a 35% drop in the demo compared to the same period last year, when “The ReidOut” occupied the slot. (Yes, it still handily beats CNN in total viewership.)

At 9 p.m., MSNBC replaced “Alex Wagner Tonight” with “The Briefing with Jen Psaki.” Between May 6 and June 29, “The Briefing” has averaged 1.019 million total viewers and 90,000 in the demo, down 17% and 28%, respectively, from the same period last year. To be fair, MSNBC featured a number of "Avengers"-styled panels led by Rachel Maddow last year. And the network’s ratings benefited from Donald Trump's historic trial, which excited the channel's progressive audience. Factoring in the boost Wagner’s hour received from the network specials narrows the declines to 8% among total viewers and 17% in the demo. Regardless, the numbers are still down.

Granted, there are some early signs of momentum for Psaki, who does build audience from Chris Hayes’ 8 p.m. hour. In June, “The Briefing” saw its audience in the 25-54 demo grow 17% from May, and it nearly doubled CNN's total 9 p.m audience. It is also outperforming its lead-in, up 11% in total viewers and 5% in the demo—metrics that give MSNBC executives confidence the show is working, just needs time to flourish. “The Weeknight” has shown month-over-month growth, too, with a 12% increase in total viewers and a 35% bump in the demo in June, eight weeks after launch. Yet, at this current time, both hours remain below last year’s numbers—and, more importantly, aren't exactly juicing the prime time bloc's overall performance.

Of course, MSNBC is not alone in seeing year-over-year declines. Last year’s high-stakes presidential election fueled viewership across cable news. Some progressive viewers have since tuned out of the news—or cut the cord—following Trump’s re-election, contributing to broader news fatigue impacting the entire industry.

That said, 2025 has been nothing short of a frenetic, hair-on-fire news year, with Trump’s chaotic and far-reaching second-term dominating headlines from both a domestic and international perspective. In other words, there is plenty of news to chew on and keep viewers turning on their televisions to learn the latest. The dynamic raises questions about why MSNBC has not actually seen an uptick in audience as viewers worried about the state of their country—and democracy itself—seek out trusted sources of information.

At CNN, MSNBC's primary competitor, the ratings are also down, though not as steeply. At 7 p.m., for example, "Erin Burnett OutFront" is sagging 8% in total viewers and 7% in the demo, compared to MSNBC’s more significant declines of over 30% in the same slot. At 9 p.m., "The Source with Kaitlan Collins" is down 5% in total viewers, but has grown 4% in the demo.

Of course, its well known in the television business that strong lead-ins are critical to a show’s success in prime time, and MSNBC’s struggles at 7 p.m. appear to be dragging down the entire bloc. The 7 p.m. time slot has always been a tricky hour for the network, in part because of the very strong audience numbers Nicolle Wallace and Ari Melber post. MSNBC would surely like to stem the bleeding and avoid losing viewers from those handoffs, but the new ensemble show has, thus far, failed to do so. Notably, Hayes’ show at 8 p.m. is down 32% in total viewers and 38% in the demo, year over year. Part of that is likely due to Trump fatigue, though another factor is surely the less-than-ideal handoff Hayes receives from the fledgling 7 p.m. program.

Still, while the early numbers are not singing from the spreadsheets, television executives would be quick to remind doubters that it takes time to grow audiences. Patience, they say, is the name of the game. Viewers need to develop habits around new shows, and programs often require months to find their footing. In other words, while off to a slow start, it will take more than two months to ultimately judge Kutler's prime time gamble.

Tulsi's WaPo Tantrum: The WaPo hit back hard Thursday after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard turned to X to smear one of its journalists. Furious that national security reporter Ellen Nakashima had the audacity to phone sources inside her agency rather than going directly through the press office, Gabbard lashed out, calling it a “clear political op” and “deranged behavior” that should leave the newspaper “ashamed.” The WaPo Executive Editor Matt Murray responded to Gabbard’s rant with a forceful statement defending Nakashima as “one of the most careful, fair-minded, and highly regarded reporters covering national security.” He then explained the basics of journalism to Gabbard, writing, “Reaching out to potential sources rather than relying solely on official government press statements regarding matters of public interest is neither nefarious nor is it harassment. It is basic journalism. DNI Gabbard’s unfounded personal attack reflects a fundamental misunderstanding about the role of journalists to report on government officials and hold power to account, without fear or favor and regardless of party.”

Spotlight on Sundar: Will Google fall next? The Sundar Pichai-led tech behemoth has been engaged in "productive discussions" about the future of a lawsuit Donald Trump filed against it when YouTube restricted his account in the aftermath of the January 6 insurrection. That's according to legal briefs filed earlier this year and unearthed by The Atlantic's Michael Scherer. The post-Memorial Day court briefs said that "additional discussions" are "anticipated in the near future." When Scherer phoned Trump's attorney John Cole, the lawyer told him, "I can't talk about that." A spokesperson for Google declined to comment to him.