OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
MSNBC is in shambles.
Rachel Maddow, the network’s top host, is only hosting her show once a week while she’s off working on “other projects.” Her ratings have dropped significantly in her absence, as well. Nicolle Wallace, a supposed “Republican,” has seen her ratings crater. In the last year, her show is down 6 percent in total viewership. Over two years, her show is down 32 percent.
However, far-left host Joy Reid is facing rumors that she may be on her way out. Reid’s show has plummeted in recent months and, in particular, since it first launched almost two years ago. “The Reid Out,” which airs at 7 PM ET, barely broke one million viewers.
For comparison, “Jesse Watters Primetime” on Fox News hit almost 2.31 million total viewers in the same time slot. CNN’s Erin Burnett came in third place with roughly 722,000 total cable news viewers.
Reid’s show has been struggling for many months and executives are well aware.
“The premiere of The ReidOut on July 20, 2020, set a network record when 2.6 million viewers tuned in to watch the episode, becoming the most-watched show on its debut on MSNBC for the 7 p.m. ET time slot. That night, Joy Reid beat Martha MacCallum’s The Story on Fox News by a margin of 23% as well as Erin Burnett Outfront on CNN by 99%, effectively winning the slot on all of the cable news. Since then, the show has consistently ranked in the top 20 cable news programs, gaining much higher ratings than Hardball with Chris Matthews,” Cable News reported.
Since then, her ratings have cratered in total views as well as in the coveted 25-54 demo.
Reid’s show is not even in the top 5 for most popular on the network despite having a primetime slot.
Back in April, Reid’s show posted its lowest-rated month ever, shedding 51% of its debut audience from 2020.
Her show finished April with its smallest monthly audience ever since the program began nearly two years ago.
Fox News reported:
“ReidOut” averaged 1.1 million viewers during the news-heavy month, a 31% decline from April of last year. She also shed 11% of viewers who tuned in last month and a staggering 51% compared to the show’s debut month of July 2020.
“ReidOut” has also lost 57% of her total audience among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults age 25-54 since the program launched in July 2020, finishing April with a dismal demo average of only 124,000 viewers. “ReidOut” viewership during April was MSNBC’s least-watched month during the weeknight 7 p.m. hour among the critical demo since July 2015.
All of this comes after media reporter Jon Nicosia reported that “there is serious talk all the way up the chain at Comcast about Joy Reid’s future at MSNBC.”
Reid has made a slew of outrageous comments, but one could argue she’s made a few defamatory comments about Kyle Rittenhouse.
Reid argued Rittenhouse’s acquittal has a historic precedent that goes back to the days of slavery.
Media critic Joe Concha also suggested this week that Reid could be hit with a lawsuit from Rittenhouse.
“That was exhibit A, B, C, D, and E right there,” Concha said. “The next chapter in the Kyle Rittenhouse story are likely multiple defamation lawsuits against not only several media outlets but also MSNBC in particular and a host named Joy Reid, who we had the pleasure of hearing.”
“As for Mrs. Reid and multiple contributors calling Rittenhouse a racist, a white supremacist, and, most importantly, guilty until proven innocent… I have got four words for you: ‘Covington Catholic Nicholas Sandmann’ – who sued CNN for what, $275 million, and forced them to settle,” he added.
Fox News host Greg Gutfeld recently joked that MSNBC was “terrified” to fire Reid because of potential blowback from liberals.
“Joy Reid has built a foolproof career insurance plan,” said Gutfeld. “She has MSNBC so terrified, that they can’t fire her because she’s just gonna call them racist, too. She calls everybody racist, and that’s her game, and that’s her scam. And the MSNBC management is cowards for letting her do this but, that’s what they chose to do.”
