MSNBC Tops CNN For October

MSNBC beat CNN in prime time for the month of October, led by the breakout success of "The Rachel Maddow Show," which brought MSNBC its first-ever victory over CNN in the 9PM hour.

The Hollywood Reporter's Paul J. Gough reports:

MSNBC has throttled into second place in three hours of cable news primetime, beating CNN for the month of October.

Fox News, as usual, retains the top slot and is in no danger of relinquishing it. But MSNBC turned in its best primetime performance in its 12-year history in the adults 25-54 demo, according to Nielsen Media Research. It surpassed CNN for second place between 7-10 p.m. with "Hardball," "Countdown With Keith Olbermann" and "The Rachel Maddow Show."

MSNBC GM Phil Griffin said Monday that it's a historic placement for the network and part of MSNBC's long-term strategy when it set out on this course two years ago.

"We wanted to challenge CNN and become a player by the election," Griffin said. "Guess what? In the months leading into the election, we beat CNN."

Griffin also spoke to TVNewser, saying:

"We've never had a performance like this in our history. We tamed the giant of Larry King."

The Numbers
7PM
"Hardball": 458,000 (A25-54)
"Lou Dobbs Tonight": 428,000 (A25-54)

8PM
"Countdown with Keith Olbermann": 784,000 (A25-54)
"Campbell Brown": 582,000 (A25-54)

Story continues below

9PM
"The Rachel Maddow Show": 700,000 (A25-54)
"Larry King Live": 673,000 (A25-54)

Of course, with MSNBC's growing success comes a target on its back, and CNN President Jon Klein said in a statement that he expects CNN's nonpartisan programming to win out once the passions of the election season have subsided:

CNN is beating MSNBC in primetime, we are No. 1 in all cable news at 10 p.m., and it is no surprise that their partisan approach will see a bump a month before the election. We think our objective, post-partisan approach will have better long-term results.

Such a sentiment was echoed by TV executives on both sides of the political aisle at a media luncheon. The Hollywood Reporter's Paul Bond reports that even Democrats said MSNBC is "out of control" in its liberal leanings:

The cable news channel is "completely out of control," said writer-producer Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, a self-proclaimed liberal Democrat.

She added that she would prefer a lunch date with right-leaning Fox News star Sean Hannity over left-leaning MSNBC star Keith Olbermann.

Olbermann was criticized by many who attended Monday's luncheon sponsored by the Caucus for Producers, Writers & Directors at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The event was dubbed "Hollywood, America and Election '08."

Bloodworth-Thomason and others seemed especially critical of the way MSNBC -- and other media -- has attacked Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin while demeaning her supporters.

"We should stop the demonizing," she said, adding that Democrats have been worse than Republicans as far as personal attacks on candidates are concerned. "It diminishes us," she said of her fellow Democrats.

Full MSNBC press release below:

MSNBC'S RACHEL MADDOW DE-THRONES KING - MSNBC FASTEST GROWING CABLE NET IN OCT.

MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" Out-Rates CNN's "Larry King Live" in A25-54 in Oct., First Time MSNBC has Ever Out-Rated CNN at 9 PM

"Countdown" Sees Highest Ratings Ever; MSNBC's Best Primetime Performance Ever

"Hardball with Chris Matthews" Out-Rates CNN's "Lou Dobbs" at 7 PM

NEW YORK - Oct. 27, 2008 - MSNBC's seven-week old "The Rachel Maddow Show" marked a huge milestone, out-rating CNN's "Larry King Live" in just its second month on the air among Adults 25-54, the first time ever MSNBC has out-rated CNN at 9 p.m. (700,000 vs. 673,000, program data, excludes presidential debates). "The Rachel Maddow Show" is up an astounding 396 percent from Oct. 07 among A25-54 (700,000 vs. 141,000) and up 387 percent in total viewers (1,893,000 vs. 389,000).

MSNBC's fantastic ratings growth reached new heights in October, becoming the fastest growing network in all of cable for the month (+147% in total viewers, total day vs. Oct. 07, through Friday). MSNBC also saw its best month ever in weekday primetime in total viewers (2,002,000) and in the key Adults 25-54 demographic (769,000).

"Countdown with Keith Olbermann" continued its dominance over CNN at 8 p.m., out-rating "Campbell Brown" by 35 percent in A25-54 (784,000 vs. 582,000) and 41 percent in total viewers (2,175,000 vs. 1,540,000). "Countdown" had its best month ever among A25-54 in October, and is up a tremendous 170 percent in A25-54 from Oct. 07 (784,000 vs. 290,000) and up 180 percent in total viewers (2,175,000 vs. 776,000). Excluding coverage of the presidential debates, "Countdown" is the #3 top-rated show in cable news in A25-54. "Countdown" is also the #1 cable news show among young viewers, Adults 18-34.

"Hardball with Chris Matthews" out-rated CNN's "Lou Dobbs" by 7 percent in A25-54 (458,000 vs. 428,000), delivering the best numbers at 7 p.m. since April 2003 (the start of the war in Iraq). "Hardball" is up a huge 242 percent vs. Oct. 07 (134,000) and up 214 percent in total viewers (423,000).

"Morning Joe" had its best month ever, averaging 224,000 A25-54, and delivered MSNBC's best morning ratings since April of 2003. "Morning Joe" is up 239 percent from Oct. 07 (66,000).

"Race for the White House with David Gregory" delivered 294,000 A25-54, up 272 percent from last year (79,000). These are the best ratings ever for "Race" and the highest ratings in the time period since April of 2003.

Built on the worldwide resources of NBC News, MSNBC defines news for the next generation with world-class reporting and a full schedule of live news coverage, political analysis and award-winning documentary programming -- 24 hours a day, seven days a week. MSNBC's home on the Internet is msnbc.com. Msnbc.com delivers a fuller spectrum of news. Drawing on its award-winning original journalism, NBC News heritage, trusted sources and Microsoft's advanced technologies, the site presents compelling, diverse and visually-engaging stories on the consumer's platform of choice. Nielsen Online reports more than 52 million unique visitors for August 2008, making msnbc.com the number one news site, ahead of Yahoo! News, CNN, ABC, CBS, and Fox News.

Comments

[LindaFS]

Yes, MSNBC is unabashedly left leaning, but where is the INTELLIGENT alternative? Fox is so bad, they cannot be relied upon. CNN is busy trying to figure out how they can cram one more thing on the screen. Maddow finally had to import Pat Buchanan to cover all of the bases. I try to read/watch both liberal and conservative media. I like that both perspectives usually show up on some shape or form on her program.

[moveleft]

LINDA...how much more "intelligence" do you need than Rhodes Scholar Maddow? I'll take Matthews, Olbermann and Maddow any day over the digusting display of ego and anger on FoxNews. Come down off your high horse, please. Intelligent does not have to mean boring or stale. BTW...Maddow did not have to "finally import" anyone. Buchanan was on her FIRST show and has been a regular guest since. She also routinely has guests from all sides of the political spectrum, including many that don't agree with her. If you are going to be critical, at least get your facts straight. Especially if you are yapping about intelligence.

[Thinks4Herself59]

If leaning left means they seek out the truth and facts, then I guess they lean left.

[GingerB]

"Reality has a well-known liberal bias." - Stephen Colbert

[protagonia]

LindaFS

"Yes, MSNBC is unabashedly left leaning, but where is the INTELLIGENT alternative?"

There cannot be an intelligent alternative when their whole point is to dumb America down.

[Moshe]

It's not surprising MSNBC is surging in the rations.

Rachel Maddow has a great show.

FOX has become a characteur or itself.

And CNN is increasingly blurring the line between real news and cheesy info-tainment. On Sunday they actually had a "news" show hosted by stand up comedian D.L. Hughley. Hughley is a funny guy, but I kept checking the channel to make sure that I was actually on CNN. Shockingly, I was.

So while my hat is off to MSNBC, and especially Rachel Maddow, will NSNBC is surging, the other "news" options seem to be imploding.

[Moshe]

My apologies for the typos, but my eyes are not that good with the small print anymore.

Do check our Rachel's show though. It is very good.

Shalom to all.

[chris48]

I love MSNBC!!!!!!!!!

[Kerra52]

This is RFK Jr's article on ACTUAL VOTER FRAUD and the fake outrage the GOP drummed up about ACORN to distract the media why they actually purged voters from the polling lists.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr-and-greg-palast/drinking-the-acorn-koolai_b_138390.html#postComment

MSNBC did not bite on the ACORN crap. CNN and FOX were all over that story and silly allegations. MSNBC, Keith and Rachel's show DID talk about the real fraud and voter suppression going on. Rachel even had RFK Jr. on her show.

Viewers can see the difference between news you can actually use and sensational non-stories. Shows who is smarter and who really cares about democracy.

[Thinks4Herself59]

MSNBC time and time again provides real facts but then stand accused of leaning to the left. No, they're simply pointing out the truth for a change, and it's refreshing!

[rosieee]

Republicans have Fox which is never fair or balanced so it is great to watch one station that you get both sides. They do not just bash one party. Even the republicans are bashing Palin so I do not see why they can not report this.

[ashb]

Who cares what Linda Bloodworth-Thomason thinks? When's the last time over a million people watched anything she did for TV. Her last effort was so bad, HBO canceled it without airing an episode.

[Pastilles]

I switched to MSNBC a long time ago. CNN has a tendency not to tell the full story most times and they tend to go where ever the wind is blowing. As for FOX, I refuse to watch that station under any circumstance.

[CBS]

Go Rachel! Between KO and Dr Rache there does seem to be intelligent life on TV

[Thinks4Herself59]

And sometimes Chris Matthews knocks the ball out of the park, such as during his recent interview with Bachmann. He kept on questioning her despite her spin and allowed her just enough rope...

[tchristin]

I want my MSNBC.

[ObamaLover]

damn that foxnews..... come on now... i don't watch foxnews because they won't cut/paste obamas talking points....
i like those talking points... and hate when biden gets asked real questions..... what is up with these people?

[Thinks4Herself59]

I have to laugh at Fox Opinion channel. I love how they'll edit out booing for Palin, for example. They don't report the news; they propagandize.

[11907281]

BRRRRWWWWAAAAAAAWWWWW bleet bleet BRRRRWWWWAAAAAAAWWWWW

[toto4]

The problem with CNN is that, in trying to be neutral, they do not aggresively challenge to admonish the absurdity their guests or analysts make. In effect, thay become another outlet (albeit subdued) resonating the outlandish messages like O being a terrorist, or communist.

Keith and Rachel are effective because their analysis, interviews and arguments are projected with intelligent reasoning and respect for their guests without raising their voice (unlike the shouting match in Fox).

[LemonMeringue]

CNN now has to pay for not telling the truth for 8 years.

[CBS]

Yes, CNN and Rush Blimpbaugh have created the "low information voter."

[Amennyc]

* leaders

[Amennyc]

Rachel is great to be out and not afraid of being gay in public. It has not affected her success. Maybe Anderson Copper could learn from her example. Ellen, Rachel, show that the lesbians are truly the leasers in the gay community. The men are how u say? pssys?

[RobHughey]

Hey now! You know that's not entirely fair. The public as a whole accepts lesbians better than gay men. It's the whole buttsecks thing. It's not that gay men don't WANT their own shows or are not as qualified... it just ooks out more people.

It's why when these wacked-out far-right groups run ads against gay rights... they don't show pictures or video of pretty women kissing or holding hands. They show MEN to try and gross out the ignorant and prejudiced members of the public.

[ZTB]

Thank God for MSNBC prime time....

the voice for millions of us.

No one has had more guts, nerve and decency!