News Ratings Shift During Trump’s Second Term

During Donald Trump’s initial term, cable news outlets like MSNBC and CNN benefited from his controversial presence, drawing in viewers on the left. However, as Trump makes his return, these networks seem to be struggling significantly. They’ve been caught in what some might call a “ratings death spiral.” There’s a growing fatigue from viewers tired of the repeated narratives, many of which claim Trump was doomed at various points—whether it was the Russia investigation or events surrounding January 6th. Yet here he is, still a prominent figure. It leaves one puzzled, doesn’t it?

Interestingly, both CNN and MSNBC appear to be losing their grasp on public influence, yet they continue to operate almost like zombies, their impact waning as audiences increasingly tune in to mock them rather than engage seriously.

In the week of September 15th-21st, after an incident involving Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, MSNBC managed to average just 854,000 viewers. For comparison, Fox News drew in an average of 2.67 million—almost double the combined audience of CNN and MSNBC.

Examining the broader day-long figures, CNN’s total was only 400,000 viewers, while MSNBC reached 505,000. Fox News, on the other hand, attracted a staggering 1.77 million. The prime time ratings show an even starker contrast, with CNN and MSNBC capturing 87,000 and 70,000 viewers, respectively, against Fox News’ 289,000.

In terms of demographic appeal during the total day, CNN fetched 58,000 viewers and MSNBC got 44,000, while Fox maintained a strong audience with 201,000.

What’s perhaps surprising is that during Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, News Nation outperformed both CNN and MSNBC combined, achieving 615,000 viewers and 173,000 in the demographic of interest. This overshadowed MSNBC and CNN significantly, which only attracted 287,000 and 342,000 viewers, respectively, during the same timeframe.

Fox News’s coverage of the event delivered 5.2 million viewers and 755,000 in the demographic they aimed at, indicating a clear dominance.

The survival of MSNBC and CNN relies predominantly on cable and satellite subscription fees. If these networks are bundled with cable packages, we’re inadvertently supporting organizations that many might find disagreeable. They seem unable to thrive based purely on their content, with their revenue largely dependent on the audience’s unwillingness to cut the cord.

If you’re genuinely concerned about the state of your country, family, and future, consider canceling your cable or satellite subscriptions. Streaming offers a more economical alternative, and there’s really no reason to continue subsidizing networks like CNN or MSNBC.