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MSNBC Reports Lowest January Audience Among Key Demographic

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MSNBC has recorded its lowest January audience ever among adults aged 25-54 despite significant news events, averaging only 63,000 viewers compared to competitors Fox News and CNN.

MSNBC's primetime lineup has recorded its smallest audience for January among the key demographic of adults aged 25-54, which is highly sought after by advertisers.

This month has featured substantial news events, including an alleged terrorist attack in New Orleans, a Tesla Cybertruck exploding in Las Vegas, President Biden's pardons for family and political allies, and President Trump's inauguration, alongside a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, as the Trump administration kicked off with several executive orders.

Despite such noteworthy incidents, MSNBC averaged only 63,000 viewers in the crucial demo from 8-11 p.m. ET, placing it at No. 31 among cable networks. In contrast, Fox News averaged 353,000 viewers in this demo, while CNN managed 118,000 viewers.

DePauw University professor Jeffrey McCall commented that advertisers prefer networks that can provide a strong viewership from the 25-54 age group. According to McCall, "Advertisers seek the 25-54 demo because media consumers in that age range generally have money to spend... younger demos have less discretionary money to spend, and older demos are more established in their consumerism habits." He elaborated that 25-54 year-olds are more likely to try new products or services.

MSNBC's primetime programs such as "Inside with Jen Psaki" and "All In with Chris Hayes" struggle to attract the desired viewers, with even popular shows like "The Rachel Maddow Show" lagging behind repeats of classic series like "Seinfeld" and "The Office." On January 16, Biden's last interview as president aired on MSNBC, netting just 97,000 viewers in the target demographic.

Overall, MSNBC struggled with total day viewers as well, averaging only 45,000 demo viewers, in comparison to 253,000 for Fox News and 80,000 for CNN, finishing behind 26 other cable networks.

Ethan Alter from Adweek emphasized the importance of the 25-54 demographic for ad revenue, noting that while January outperformed December, it still fell short of last year's figures.

Amid these challenges, an MSNBC spokesperson highlighted an increase in viewership since Trump’s inauguration, while the network prepared for a corporate spin-off of MSNBC from NBCUniversal later this year. Earlier this month, MSNBC president Rashida Jones stepped down after nearly four years in charge, with Rebecca Kutler named interim president.

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