Rachel Maddow Ratings Decline: March Lowest Month

Los Angeles Times:

When MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" debuted during the historic campaign of Barack Obama, the program's ratings soared and made its host a breakout star on cable.

But as the president's administration nears its 100-day milestone, Maddow's show -- like most cable programs that traffic in political talk and chatter -- has seen its numbers cool. March was the lowest-rated month so far for Maddow with her numbers falling from an average high of 1.9 million viewers to just slightly over 1.1 million.

Read the whole story: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[BOin08]

Rachel is floundering for one reason-she tried to out crazie Olbermann. The whole "teabagging" commentary was the shark jump for Rach. She lost her academic cred that week and long with her sober adult audience. What a shame-she had so much promise and now we're left with light weights like Keith and Ed.

[Tonyrich300]

MSNBC primetime shows may seem to have low ratings, but they provide more opportunities for watching their shows. MSNBC primetime shows are available an hour after the live show on thier website. MSNBC website is the most popular news website in the country (partly because they MSN links to them for news). MSNBC shows provide full podcasts on itunes and they are highly rated on itunes. Rachel Maddow Show, Countdown, and NBC Nightly news are in the top 20 video podcasts. MSNBC viewers tend to be younger, so there is a higher probability they watch entertainment shows during primetime and watch the news later on their TiVO or DVR or other places but live TV. Clips of their shows that have to do with the Obama Administration are also available on Hulu.

[Helpcomputer]

Before we all start analyzing Maddows' "failure" and giving our personal reasons why we hate her, a little context is necessary.

Ratings for news/politics sources are down across the board from their pre-election highs. MSNBC, CNN, Huffington Post (I'll deal with FNC below); it's natural and entirely predictable that they'd come down after the election. And they did. Looking at tvbythenumbers.com, cable news ratings on 4/21/09 are almost half what they were on 9/25/08.

So the real question to ask isn't "Why is Maddow failing?" It's "Why did the L.A. Times cherrypick this one cable news host to single out when there's an entire market trend behind it?"

FNC has fared slightly better, with only a 30% drop. But then, Fox isn't a news channel; it's a right-wing propaganda channel (deny it all you want, but O'Reilly and Hannity are demagogues). It's viewers don't watch to be informed. They watch to have their worldview confirmed; to participate, however passively, in something bigger than them. It's a powerful psychological catharsis that even the clumsy, ham-fisted agit-prop of FNC can exploit.

And now that their side is out of power, you would expect them to drink even more deeply from the well (the "Tea Parties" show that some of the most angry and devoted are). But the ratings are still down.

[install linux]

a.)msnbc is widely perceived as being the mouthpiece the obama admin.many moderate democrats, republican and independents whom might have watched after the election if it wasn't for the fact that they alienated everyone else in favor of pushing their left-wing agenda and trying to counter fox. where did those people go after the election? apparently to fox news. they're up while cnn and msnbc are way down since obama took office. their plan backfired.

b.) maddow is unbearable to watch for most people because she isn't speaking to them. most people are not hipster, 'intellectual' 'free sprirt' types who sit around in cafe's dreaming about a rainbow revolution. horrible choice for a tv host.

c.) msnbc just isn't entertaining enough. olbermann brings on a total of zero guests who disagree with him, and dedicates a great portion of his show chattering about a rivaling news channel or radio hosts whom he disagrees.­his histrionics are lame when their is no one there to counter.

d.) foxnews destroy cnn and msnbc combined in every demographi­c.why? it probably has something to do with the formula. big personalities, controversy, opposing view points and heated debates. check and mate.

d.) roger ailes understands the business more than any one. like him or not...he knows how to draw viewers and stir up enough hate of his network that people pretend to 'boycott' them, but yet they just can't stop talking about their commentators.

[Never-The-Less]

There are many places for the type of mediocrity you are espousing. Maddow is the brightest bulb on the boob tube. The fact that many go to Fox says nothing of Maddow, but speaks volumes of how ignorant our populous actually is. She better not change to accommodate the swill stations like CNN and Fox offer, or she will loose her loyal base.

As for why Fox does so well in regards to viewers it is because they sell a particular product, they have no competition, they alone corner the market for spewing lies that only Fox watchers crave. Fox is the only game in town for the chronically ignorant right-wingers. There is a lot of competition for the moderates and liberals viewers, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS…et al.

[BOin08]

Spot on. FOX beats MSNBS in all demographics for one reason-Fox is simply more enjoyable and positive to watch. MSNBC's ratings will never match FOX as long as they continue down the low road with guests like Marr and Garafalo as they spew hate against those they disagree. Hey Bill, Jeanne-here's an idea-challenge those you disagree with tolerance, ideas and solutions- not insults. Btw, I have never heard Olbermann complement anyone. Even his "Best Person in the World" segment is about slamming someone, not recognizing good deeds. No one wants to watch a show of mean-spirited, ugly people.

[HRG]

I am a Rachel devotee. She is brilliant and asks tough questions. Her sarcasm is terrific; she uses it to point absurdities where they exist.

Who cares about ratings? I would pay to watch a show like Rachel's rather than some of the inanity on TV.

[GeorgeP922]

The only people that care are those that hate her, to include all Republicans and DLC Democrats.

Also look at the editor who posted this, if it were Jason Linkings, he would have torn the LA times apart for this editorial.

[rhubardpi]

She needs to drop her sarcasm, it is just to cute by half. Sarcasm need sting, not cute.

[MyGuyO]

MSNBC is my fav cable show and I watch them every day. Chris Matthews, Keith Olberman and Rachel Maddow are my favs to say the least.
They tell the stories like they are with truth and intelligence unlike some of the other shows.

I give an A+ for MSNBC!

[houseafire]

I love Rachel Maddow's show and watch her M-F. She's intelligent and is on top of reporting the happenings of the DC nut cases, otherwise known as politicians.

[MyGuyO]

Everybody loves Rachel, so I thought until reading this article. Wow, this is quite a surprise!

I watch Rachael every night, never tire of her. She is a breath of fresh air. How wonderful
to watch her show w/;o all the yelling back and forth like other guests do on other shows. She is a bright and intelligent moderator and we need more people like Rachel.

Go get them, Rachel.

[Sardonica]

She's great when she's serious and focused. But the lame jokes and the sarcasm and the funny faces make me cringe. I wish she would stop doing it - because she is whip smart. The schtick is beneath her. And it's certainly beneath me to watch it. I can't - it's too painful.

[GeorgeP922]

Yes, funny is bad.

We need to be more like the Republicans, or worse yet Joe Lieberman.

I love how libs here think some boring show like Democracy Now would fly on tv. Noone wants snooze fests, Politics is a real life soap opera/action film.
Don't be suprised if reporting reflects that.

[Sardonica]

I would LOVE it if she were funny. The problem is, she's not. Besides - we have the Daily Show - humour is covered. Rachel's strongest asset is her strong intellect - her lame jokes detract from that. Strong reporting and focused, tough interviews boring? You're mental.

[Angelus2007]

Fine with me, I am was never a fan of hers. While I agree with her, her sarcasm bugs me. Sarcasm may play well with us on her side, but doesn't do much to convert those on the other side. It turns me off and I agree with her, it will only anger those who don't agree with her. We need those in the middle to understand our side, and sarcasm won't help.

[BoboPalinski]

See - the tea parties are working!

[DSF99]

The reason Rachel Maddow's numbers are declining and will continue to drop is because she changed.

When she was just a regular commentator on MSNBC, she made sense in her views. She sounded legitimate - like a professional. She acted like a serious analyst. She was interesting to listen to.

Then when she got her own show, she tried to mimic Keith Olbermann. She started to sound like a comedian, a clown - not a legit commentator. Her views didn't make sense very often. She wasn't professional. Too extreme at times.

I turned her off after the first 3 weeks. She changed.

[BOin08]

Exactly. SAhe changed and not for the good.

[sand252]

March ratings -- Hmmm -- I know that during the spring and summer I watch less tv. Also, may be post election/Obama satisfaction does hurt her ratings. And the point is?

I, as many others, try to watch Maddow as often as possible, but the reality is that people have to live their lives without regard to a shows ratings. I think that's why networks have seasons -- because ratings fluctuate w/ seasons. Sheesh! Also, MSNBC should give her Chris Matthews's time slot. She does more work than him &/or his production team. Working hard should be rewarded. She's simply better than any reporter on MSNBC.

PS: some the best shows -- Arrested Development, Family Guy (when it first aired) -- get less attention than they deserve. Ratings only matters for advertising revenue.

[UltraClassic]

A FLASH IN THE PAN. She will maintain her leftist lesbian fans and also the snide liberal sneer types. But her days, as well as the left wing's MSNBC evening time slots are numbered. You just can't make any money with that few followers.

[Beantownbadboy]

If you think it's bad in the evening, you should catch some of the drivel that's on during the day. It's pathetic. I think MSNBC would be better off just showing their weekend Prison shows all week 24/7. MSNBC must provide a huge write off for NBC. These Leftist Lesbians get nasty when you criticize their flag bearer.

[PAposter]

The idle mind is a playground for the devil.