Biden's Ex-Press Secretary Tanks MSNBC Ratings in Historic Collapse

Paul Riverbank, 6/4/2025MSNBC's ambitious programming overhaul, featuring former Biden press secretary Jen Psaki, has encountered significant viewership challenges. The network's May ratings show concerning declines across key demographics, while competitor Fox News continues to dominate cable news audiences. This raises questions about MSNBC's strategy of recruiting former administration officials.

MSNBC's Recent Programming Gamble Shows Troubling Signs

The television industry's harsh realities are catching up with MSNBC's ambitious programming overhaul. I've watched with particular interest as their recent bet on former Biden press secretary Jen Psaki has struggled to find its footing in the competitive cable news landscape.

Let's look at the numbers, and they're not pretty. Psaki's new show, occupying the premium 9 p.m. ET slot Tuesday through Friday, has hemorrhaged viewers since its debut. Between May 6 and May 28, "The Briefing" pulled in roughly 971,000 viewers – less than half the audience that Rachel Maddow and Alex Wagner previously commanded in that timeslot.

What's especially concerning for advertisers? The show's performance among viewers aged 25-54. Psaki's averaging just 78,000 viewers in this crucial demographic, representing a stomach-churning 52% decline from her predecessors.

I spoke with several industry veterans about these developments. "She's kinda boring. She's not a great broadcaster," one insider admitted to me, echoing sentiments I've heard repeatedly in off-the-record conversations throughout the industry.

The network's problems extend beyond just one show. Their new ensemble program "The Weeknight" – featuring Symone Sanders-Townsend, Alicia Menendez, and Michael Steele – has shed 12% of its inherited audience. These struggles contributed to MSNBC logging its second-worst May ratings in history, both in total day and primetime demographic numbers.

Meanwhile, Fox News keeps widening the gap. Their primetime viewership has jumped 23%, averaging 2.46 million viewers. "The Five" continues to dominate cable news with a whopping 3.77 million viewers – numbers that must keep MSNBC executives up at night.

The timing couldn't be worse for MSNBC. Parent company Comcast is preparing to spin off NBCUniversal's cable assets into a separate entity called Versant. These rating struggles raise serious questions about the network's strategy of tapping former Biden administration officials for key roles.

Having covered media transitions for over two decades, I've seen networks weather rough patches before. But MSNBC's current situation feels different. Their programming choices reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of what drives viewer engagement in today's fractured media landscape.

The coming months will prove crucial for MSNBC's future. While some network sources point to Trump-era ratings as context for current declines, the reality is starker: viewers are voting with their remotes, and right now, they're changing the channel.

MSNBC's Recent Programming Gamble Shows Troubling SignsThe television industry's harsh realities are catching up with MSNBC's ambitious programming overhaul. I've watched with particular interest as their recent bet on former Biden press secretary Jen Psaki has struggled to find its footing in the competitive cable news landscape.Let's look at the numbers, and they're not pretty. Psaki's new show, occupying the premium 9 p.m. ET slot Tuesday through Friday, has hemorrhaged viewers since its debut. Between May 6 and May 28, "The Briefing" pulled in roughly 971,000 viewers – less than half the audience that Rachel Maddow and Alex Wagner previously commanded in that timeslot.What's especially concerning for advertisers? The show's performance among viewers aged 25-54. Psaki's averaging just 78,000 viewers in this crucial demographic, representing a stomach-churning 52% decline from her predecessors.I spoke with several industry veterans about these developments. "She's kinda boring. She's not a great broadcaster," one insider admitted to me, echoing sentiments I've heard repeatedly in off-the-record conversations throughout the industry.The network's problems extend beyond just one show. Their new ensemble program "The Weeknight" – featuring Symone Sanders-Townsend, Alicia Menendez, and Michael Steele – has shed 12% of its inherited audience. These struggles contributed to MSNBC logging its second-worst May ratings in history, both in total day and primetime demographic numbers.Meanwhile, Fox News keeps widening the gap. Their primetime viewership has jumped 23%, averaging 2.46 million viewers. "The Five" continues to dominate cable news with a whopping 3.77 million viewers – numbers that must keep MSNBC executives up at night.The timing couldn't be worse for MSNBC. Parent company Comcast is preparing to spin off NBCUniversal's cable assets into a separate entity called Versant. These rating struggles raise serious questions about the network's strategy of tapping former Biden administration officials for key roles.Having covered media transitions for over two decades, I've seen networks weather rough patches before. But MSNBC's current situation feels different. Their programming choices reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of what drives viewer engagement in today's fractured media landscape.The coming months will prove crucial for MSNBC's future. While some network sources point to Trump-era ratings as context for current declines, the reality is starker: viewers are voting with their remotes, and right now, they're changing the channel.