Brains Over Brawn: MSNBC Ratings Up 30% As Fox News Declines 13% 2018 Q1

Brains Over Brawn: MSNBC Ratings Up 30% As Fox News Declines 13% 2018 Q1

Democratic strategists are seeing another reason for optimism about the midterms: soaring ratings for liberal-leaning MSNBC are up 30 percent over last year, while Fox News and CNN both lost viewers from the first quarter of 2017 to the first quarter of 2018 — dropping 16 percent and 13 percent, respectively.

I say the ratings surge 1) yes, represents the growing resurgence of the Democratic party but

2) MSNBC has also brought multiple Republican or now Independent never-Trumpers to its voice. Many of the most left-leaning progressives believe that MSNBC has sold its soul and are not happy about these changes.

I say the results confirm the same research posted last night about the new Democratic party: more female than ever; more educated, strategic and thoughtful; younger by far than the Republican party; more interested in solutions as opposed to daily rants Trump style; and --yes -- totally committed to a diverse, multicultural, safe America, environmental action and protection, gender and LGBTQ equality, economic justice and -- I repeat -- progressive business solutions to the problems of 21st century America. Apologies for obvious omissions.

Government alone cannot get us out of this mess.

So FOX News makes us crazy with their outrageous assault on everyone but Trump. But their ratings are down 13% while MSNBC is up 30%. Rhodes scholar Rachel Maddow has the #2 show on cable news and sometimes she does beat Hannity, who did not get a college degree. Rachel is on the move, Hannity is not.

Hannity Beats Maddow In Monday Night Debut | Megyn Kelly Off & Running | Fox Confirms Ingraham 10PM Slot

9-2017

Rachel Maddow's 9 pm queen of cable news reign failed in its first test against Fox News Sean Hannity's debut in the 9pm hour Monday night, writes The Hollywood Reporter. Hannity won the battle for total viewers with Maddow trailing by 610,000 in viewers but had only 75,000 adults 25-54 deficit.

Ingraham Fills 10 PM Hannity Slot

The long-denied rumour that Laura Ingraham would be taking over Hannity's spot was confirmed by FNC last week. The program will be called 'The Ingraham Angle' and will debut Oct. 30.

MSNBC's Joy Reid Lights Her Own Bonobo Woman Torch At MSNBC

MSNBC's Joy Reid Lights Her Own Bonobo Woman Torch At MSNBC

Josef Adalian zeroes in on one of AOC's most respected journalists -- MSNBC's Joy Reid. Her influence at MSNBC extends far beyond her two-hour 'AM Joy" show on weekend mornings, with the Harvard grad regularly filling in for weekday evening anchors like Chris Hayes, Rachel Maddow or Lawrence O'Donnell. As one of the most articulate voices in Trumplandia, Reid's 10-12 timeslot regularly pulls in around 1 million viewers, up between 50 and 60 percent over last year and doubling -- even tripling -- viewers at CNN and Fox News. Why? Because the whip-smart Harvard grad is a one woman debate machine who demands answers and dialogue from her guests -- not talking points. Reid is as informed as Rachel Maddow, giving her a monumental edge in debates, which often involve quick-witted, circuitous dot connecting with guests promoting #FAKENEWS. 

Fox Denies That Laura Ingraham Is Set To Take 10 pm Slot, Moving Hannity To Face Off Against Rachel Maddow

Laura Ingraham speaking for Trump at 2016 Republican convention.

Fox Denies That Laura Ingraham Is Set To Take 10 pm Slot, Moving Hannity To Face Off Against Rachel Maddow

CNN reports that Fox News commentator, radio host and Trump loyalist Laura Ingraham is set to replace Sean Hannity in the 10 pm time slot at Fox. Unidentified sources tell CNN that Hannity will move to the 9 pm hour, putting him head-to-head with Rachel Maddow at MSNBC. 

"The Five" will return to its original time slot, now that Eric Bolling has left the Fox News, after a month-long investigation into claims that Bolling sent male genitalia texts with saucy comments to other female staffers at Fox. 

Fox News denies the rumour, saying there is "no deal in place with Ingraham, who has her own charges of sexual harassment against her partner Peter Anthony at LifeZette, reportsThe Daily Beast.  Ingraham has also indicated an interest in the 2018 Senate race against Democratic incumbent and former Hillary Clinton running mate Tim Kaine, according to the Washington Post. A Fox gig would seemingly close that door -- now seriously complicated by charges against her business partner. 

Will Megyn Kelly Connect With 'Today Show' Women, 25-30% Latino & African American

Will Megyn Kelly Connect With 'Today Show' Women, 25-30% Latino & African American

The argument that Megyn Kelly's starpower is so great that viewers would tune in on NBC is already disavowed, Andrew Tyndall told The Daily Beast.  “The stardom of the celebrity anchor was a phenomenon of the 1980s back when [flamboyant ABC News president] Roone Arledge was around. In this day and age, the shows make the anchors, not the other way around.”

Still, Kelly has the protection of The Today Show cocoon as her lead-in. Another daytime veteran told Grove, "he’s going to have to adapt to the live audience, she will have to be more entertaining, and that will be a learning curve for her. The ultimate question is whether she connects with women in daytime.”

The gender-challenge is a potentially major one, as Kelly's success at Fox was to a primarily audience. That reality was never more obvious than when viewers turned against Megyn in her serious debate conflicts and Twitter-storm with then Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. 

“A lot of people were watching the magazine show to try to get a sense of her appeal to the daytime demographic and a sense of how she would be outside of the Fox environment,” said a veteran daytime television impresario, who noted that the nationwide audience in that time period is not only heavily female but from 25 to 30 percent African American and Latino. “Fox News skews very male… I always tend to think of her as more of a guy’s girl than a girl’s girl… It’s extremely challenging, and I’m not sure Megyn’s personality really connects with women.”

Kelly's arrival signaled an exit for the popular Tamron Hall in February. Hall is partnering with Weinstein Television for a new daytime talk show. Hall will co-create and executive produce, with former NBC Domestic Television Distribution president Barry Wallach on board to consult. No network is yet attached.

Rachel Maddow Conquers Cable News With Informed Facts, Analysis & Civic Truth

Rachel Maddows Conquers Cable News With Informed Facts, Analysis & Civic Truth

All key news channels have higher ratings in the time of Trump. But MSNBC as a network and Rachel Maddow as the front person for informed analysis and less spin -- in contrast to say the ego-consumed Chris Matthews on 'Hardball' -- is showing the boys club how it's done.

The July 21, 2017 Nielsen ratings put The Rachel Maddow show not only in a dominant position in the 9 pm time slot but with an audience that exceeded competitors Fox News  'The Five' and CNN's Anderson Cooper combined. Maddow clocked 2.938 million total viewers last Friday, compared to 1.987 million for Fox and 1.073 million for CNN.