Rachel Maddow now dominates cable news.

Courtesy of Variety:

For the first three nights of this week, Maddow’s 9 p.m. broadcast on MSNBC was the most-watched on cable-news in primetime – a position that had long been enjoyed by the 8 p.m. hour in the Fox News schedule, where O’Reilly had a roost for more than two decades,and where Tucker Carlson now holds court. 

Maddow’s recent gains are part of a viewership surge at the NBCUniversal-owned network that comes as a chaotic White House has driven viewers to MSNBC in ways the executives really haven’t seen since the days of Keith Olbermann. Last week, MSNBC’s primetime schedule was tops in the demographic most coveted by advertisers – people between 25 and 54 – for the first time since the week of December 29, 2008. MSNBC’s “Maddow,” “The Last Word” and “11th Hour” are all leading in that viewership category for the month to date, according to data from Nielsen.

“MSNBC’s ratings surge is entirely due to the ongoing crisis of fake news – the more that news designed to deceive plays a role in politics and our lives, the more people hunger for news they can trust and which is demonstrably true,” said Paul Levinson, a professor of media studies at Fordham University.

Well as a long time fan, I am quite happy to see Rachel finally getting the attention she deserves.

She has been my go to news source for many years now, and I am never disappointed. 

With Bill O'Reilly out of the picture Rachel Maddow emerges as new juggernaut of cable news.

Courtesy of CNN: 

Fox News normally ranks #1 among cable news channels. But lately MSNBC's Rachel Maddow has been challenging Fox at 9 p.m., the centerpiece of the prime time schedule.

Maddow's surge is being fueled partly by her day-in, day-out criticism of the Trump administration. There is an increased appetite for the liberal arguments she has been making for years. 

"There's a reason Rachel is beating Fox and CNN," MSNBC president Phil Griffin told CNNMoney in an email. "She's a talented storyteller who's helping her audience cut through all the confusion coming out of Washington. She's connecting dots in ways no one else is.

"The week of April 10, for instance, Maddow just barely beat Carlson -- she averaged 542,000 viewers in the demo while he averaged 541,000. CNN ranked third with an average of 396,000 in the demo. 

Maddow's show has been MSNBC's tentpole, its highest rated program, for many years. The difference now is the competition with Fox News.

Maddow's increased popularity has even inspired one longtime Right Wing propagandist to become a little hyperbolic.

Macron. Flying cars. Maddow #1 in TV news. Welcome to hell.

— MATT DRUDGE (@DRUDGE) April 24, 2017

(Wait, we have flying cars now?)

 I have long suspected that there is something hinky about Fox's ability to dominate cable news, but so far there has never been any revelations about paying off TV ratings services or anything of that nature. (Though let's face it, we certainly would not put it past News Corp to do just that.)

There ARE a few theories out there: 

Fox news enjoys betters ratings precisely because it is "biased, selfish, manipulative & hate-filled". It is exciting stuff for the irrational or ignorant whom would like to be politically involved, but do not have the proper foundation of studies (Economics/Politics/Government/Finance/Law). Therefore, they can push an agenda without corresponding facts to suit the theories and behavior promoted. 

Sounds reasonable to me.

It should also be pointed out that the Fox News viewers are easily the MOST partisan group of cable news watchers out there, far more conservative than either CNN or MSNBC viewers are liberal.

And for years Fox News was their one stop shop to feed their confirmation bias.

On the other hand Rachel Maddow has an actual PHD and seems to be determined to follow the facts wherever they might lead her.

Her shows are incredibly informative, often containing history lessons, instruction about the way government works, and plenty of heretofore unknown trivia about both.

She also does not utilize tried and true Fox News methods such as inviting scantily clad blondes to discuss the news of the day, or yelling at her guests and calling them stupid when they have the temerity to disagree with her.

Instead she continues, day by day, to deliver the truth.

And in the era of Donald Trump the thirst for that truth has never been more deeply felt.

MSNBC shows more growth among viewers who don't have one foot in the grave than does Fox News or CNN.

Courtesy of NBC Universal:  

MSNBC saw the most growth in cable news for January 2016 during “Morning Joe” and Monday-Friday dayside programming (M-F 9a-5p). MSNBC’s dayside programming (M-F 9a-5p) was up 60% in A25-54 and 46% in total viewers while Fox News was up only 27% and CNN was down by 9%. MSNBC’s M-F 8-11p was up 44% in A254-54 and 45% in total viewers over last year, topping CNN which was only up 16% and tying Fox News which was only up 44% in A25-54 over last year in M-F 8-11p. January 2016 was the best M-F 8-11p demo performance for MSNBC since February 2014 and in total viewers since October 2013. M-F 9a-5p saw the highest A25-54 since March 2014. 

“Morning Joe” was up 41% in A25-54 (127,000 vs. CNN’s 115,000) and 54% in total viewers (505,000 vs. CNN’s 396,000) over last year, beating CNN in both for the month. January 2016 was the best month for “Morning Joe” since January 2014. In M-F 6-9a, Fox News was only up 13% and CNN was down 17% in A25-54. 

“The Rachel Maddow Show” beat CNN in A25-54 (244,000 vs. CNN’s 232,000) and total viewers (1,062,000 vs. CNN’s 727,000) for the month with double digit growth over last year, 59% in A25-54 and 42% in total viewers. At 9pm, CNN and Fox News were both down in A25-54 over last month. “The Rachel Maddow Show” had the best A25-54 delivery since February 2014 and best total viewers since October 2013. 

I really can't stand Morning Joe, but I'm glad that MSNBC is attracting younger eyes.  Especially with so many devices competing with cable television.

As for Rachel Maddow I think that EVERYBODY should be watching her show regardless of their political leanings, simply because her show is the best when it comes to presenting the facts, and having those facts withstand scrutiny from fact checkers.

Oh and before anybody gets themselves in a snit over my "one foot in the grave" remark, allow me to remind you that I am on the wrong side of that 25 to 54 demographic as well.

The fact is that these new viewers are likely to stick around far longer than the 55-75 crowd that seems to prefer Fox News.

Fox News comes in dead last in ratings during President Obama's inauguration.

Courtesy of CNN Press Room:

1. CNN: 3.136m total viewers/1.107m adults 25-54/454k adults 18-34  
2. MSNBC: 2.273m total viewers/706k adults 25-54/291k adults 18-34 
3. FNC: 1.316m total viewers/294k adults 25-54/53k adults 18-34

You know considering how much Fox viewers loathe President Obama it is almost surprising that even 1.3 million were willing to tune in. Of course they undoubtedly did so in order to throw food at the screen and scream racial epithets, but still.


However it is yet another indication of the plummeting ratings overall that Fox has been experiencing since Obama, against all of their predictions, won his second term.

Let me just say that it could not hapen to a more deserving network.