MSNBC’s Jen Psaki Faces Viewer Declines

Jen Psaki, who recently took over the 9 PM time slot on MSNBC, has encountered a tough start. The shift happened as “The Rachel Maddow Show” returned to air only on Mondays, leaving Psaki to fill the Tuesday to Friday slots.

Previously, Psaki served as a spokesperson for the Biden administration and hosted “Inside” on Sundays and Mondays. Her new show, “Briefing,” debuted on Tuesday, attracting 1.2 million viewers along with 139,000 in the key demographic of adults aged 25-54. However, by Wednesday, those numbers had dropped significantly to over 1 million viewers with only 65,000 in the demographic.

Notably, her second episode saw a staggering 67% drop in young viewers, indicating a loss of interest. In contrast, Rachel Maddow’s program averaged 1.9 million viewers and 141,000 in the 25-54 demographic the previous week, showing just how steep the competition is.

Despite a strong debut, Psaki’s second episode lost 46% of its total audience and 54% in crucial demographics. It’s also worth mentioning that her show faced stiff competition, being viewed among a multitude of other cable news programs—38, to be exact—including several from Fox News and CNN.

On Wednesday, Psaki’s ratings were lower than those of classic sitcoms like “Seinfeld” and “That ’70s Show,” raising questions about whether she’s able to draw in viewers during primetime. This trend highlights a significant struggle for MSNBC at that hour, especially given historical context; her Wednesday episode marked the lowest rating for that slot since early January.

Psaki, who formerly defended Biden’s mental fitness while serving as spokesman, continues to face challenges in her new role.