Keith Olbermann’s last show on MSNBC was on Friday, January 21. Who would have guessed that he was the glue that held that network together? Without him, its ratings have fallen off a cliff.
Look at this comparison of ratings and audience size on Thursday, February 10 vs. Thursday, January 21, the day before Keith Olbermann’s sudden departure from MSNBC.
It shows that Fox has picked up huge numbers of viewers and CNN has picked up considerably fewer viewers, but MSNBC has absolutely imploded. Wow. It must be vodka and prescription drug time around 30 Rock.
| Network | Show | Jan 21 | Feb 10 | (+/-) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fox | O’Reilly | 2,918,000 | 3,325,000 | +407,000 |
| Fox | Baier | 1,940,000 | 2,335,000 | +395,000 |
| Fox | Hannity | 2,079,000 | 2,293,000 | +214,000 |
| Fox | Beck | 1,780,000 | 2,243,000 | +463,000 |
| Fox | Shep | 1,786,000 | 1,936,000 | +150,000 |
| Fox | Greta | 1,460,000 | 1,744,000 | +286,000 |
| MSNBC | 8:00 PM | 1,106,000 | 843,000 | -267,000 |
| CNN | Morgan | 1,025,000 | 941,000 | -86,000 |
| MSNBC | 9:00 PM | 976,000 | 765,000 | -211,000 |
| MSNBC | 10:00 PM | 855,000 | 575,000 | -280,000 |
| CNN | Cooper | 826,000 | 740,000 | +86,000 |
| MSNBC | 6:00 PM | 760,000 | 592,000 | -168,000 |
| MSNBC | 7:00 PM | 700,000 | 677,000 | -23,000 |
| MSNBC | 5:00 PM | 612,000 | 844,000 | +232,000 |
| CNN | Blitzer | 524,000 | 1,036,000 | +512,000 |
| CNN | ParkerSpitzer | 522,000 | 724,000 | +202,000 |
Let’s analyze these numbers by hour rather than by host, because, quite honestly, we tried breaking it down that way but the shuffling of hosts made it almost impossible for us to comprehend our own analysis.
MSNBC 5:00 – This was the one bright spot for MSNBC. Matthews actually increased his audience from 612,000 on January 20 to 844,000 on February 10 for a gain of 232,000. It’s such a bizarre anomaly in the overall MSNBC disaster that we don’t quite know what to make of it. So let’s just say congratulations, Chris. It appears that you are now MSNBC’s biggest star. Of course, that concept must be driving MSNBC programming executives onto the ledges atop 30 Rock.
MSNBC 6:00 – When they call Cenk Uygur a temporary fill-in host, the emphasis is on temporary. He took Ed Schultz’ 760,000 viewers and turned them into 592,000 viewers. Losing 168,000 viewers is no way to get yourself a full-time gig, Cenkie.
MSNBC 7:00 – Many years ago the Editor had to attend a big quarterly board meeting in New York City. His office had miserable numbers and he dreaded having to report them to the New York bigwigs. He was seated to the immediate left of the Chairman of the Board. When it came time for each office to report it’s quarterly numbers, the Chairman started on his right and went around the table. One after another, each office manager reported worse results than the previous one had. By the time it got to the Editor, he was able to say, “Well, we aren’t making what we’d hoped for, but we’re still turning a slight profit” and the room erupted in applause simply because the numbers sucked less than everyone else’s. That’s the position Chris Matthews finds himself in. The bad news? He lost 23,000 viewers. The good news? Everyone else at MSNBC lost a lot more.
MSNBC 8:00 – Keith Olbermann’s numbers were nothing to brag about, but O’Donnell makes him look like a ratings god. The time slot has gone from 1,106,000 viewers with Olbermann at the helm to a meager 843,000 with O’Donnell. Career enhancement opportunities do not follow losing 267,000 viewers in 30 days.
MSNBC 9:00 – So much for those tall tales of Rachel Maddow’s star power. Without Olbermann as her lead-in she lost 211,000 viewers.
MSNBC 10:00 – Poor Ed Schultz was convinced that the only thing keeping him from success even bigger than his head was a better time slot. So in the wake of Olbermann’s departure, MSNBC moved him from his 5:00 fringe-of-prime time slot to the much-coveted 10 pm slot. The audience responded by pretending Ed was a sinking ship and they were rats. Not only did Ed attract 185,000 fewer viewers at 10 pm than he did at 5 pm, but he also managed to lose 280,000 of the viewers that Lawrence O’Donnell had attracted when he filled the 10 pm slot. Nice work, Ed. We would have said that was impossible, but you proved us wrong.
Source: MediaBistro, MediaBistro
This post was last modified on January 26, 2021
View Comments (26)
Any news on Doberman's ratings on the new network?
He won't be on the air until fall. His deal with MSNBC called for a six month "no compete."
Oh wow. I didnt know that. Thanks.
Would that the contract have called for a six month "no stupid". Wait. 6 months off the air? Houston, we have a winnah!
They should have made it 2 years... oh man can you imagine that?
I sure can. Wife just hollered up at me to get back to work -- was laughing too hard.
Cnn blocked due to their journalistic interest being totally global - leaving americans with no "news" that affects them or if they do it is a "european" vies...
"in england we ....".... they seem to be altering the AMERICAN perspective to a more European attitude, something we founded america as - non-european democratic society.
MSNBC is blocked now due to morningjoe. I cannot wake up to a show watching an egotistical man who cannot relate to anyone or anything unless HIMSELF is injected. I am tired of hearing how the rich deserve and the rest are worthless or a "drain" on HIS spoilt kids.
He obviously has issues with the elderly and those he deems his "lessers".
MSNBC can go screw itself, without Keith I'm not watching. I'm waiting Keith when he comes on Current TV. Alright Keith, I'll always be your loyal fan. Can't wait for your new show to be up and running, as for now I'll stick with CNN.
ONE!! That's ONE Keith Olbermann Fan!!! HAHAHAHA
The Count vill count all Keith's fans again!
ONE!! That's ONE Fan of ze countdown!!! HAHAHAHA
The Count vill count again!
ONE!! HAHAHAHA
Ze Count is getting very tired of zis counting.
Now, are you waiting to watch Olby because you find him smart & witty?
Do watch because he's funny? He is funny, but not on purpose. Other then that, he's a zilch.
I think MSNBSleaze should hang in there with the current cast of clowns. The more money NBC/Comcast/GE lose the more entertaining.
Keiths new channel, Al Gore's Current TV, has been described as having less viewers "than the Fireplace Channel." Not my idea but funny and perhaps true.
Don't knock the Yule Log when it's on during the holidays, that thing kicks ass. Not to mention Current TV's ass.
Well, I hope their viewership and ratings tank so much that the network has to either do a complete restructuring, i.e. gets rid of Maddow, Matthews, Schultz, etc and goes to a conservative leaning format or just goes off the air completely.
Actually, a Reality format might work! Put Shultz, Maddow and the rest in a house together and film it. They can argue with extreme indignation over who used the toothpaste.
And, when you get right down to it, so-called "reality shows" do contain more reality than MSNBC.
The only problem is the conspiracy theories that would cause.
People will be saying: "NOBODY's that stupid without help."
It must be: (check one)
( ) Stupid sandwiches in the cafeteria.
( ) Something like lead in the water.
( ) Maddows, Matthews and Schulz playing football without helmets in between takes.
( ) Space aliens have perfected a stupid ray.
( ) Critical mass of stupidity causing a space-time singularity,
Question to make your head explode.
If Maddows and Schultz had a love child, would it be stupider than Beavis, or Butt-head?
(I know it's an unrealistic question -- it completely disregards the fact that two men can't give birth to a child.)
It's already been done RKae... I believe it was called "The Surreal Life".
I guess the part I do not understand is...all those libs that were watching MSNBC prior to January 21 all got up and changed the channel to Fox on January 24? Just WHO made up the old audience over there and WHO makes up what's left (haha pun). In other words-Are all those libs are now watching Fox???
(scratching head)
aging hippie liberal douches getting old and tuning out of msnbc and more gen-xers reaching middle age to discover the american dream looted tuning into fox
Kyle MacLachlan is going to have to go back to his movie career.
Over to you Nelson!
http://nelsonhaha.com/
RTS
MSNBC viewers last seen heading toward Bermuda Triangle.