When each month comes to an end, the cable news ratings are released. For the most part, Fox News is in the top 13 programs. The month of January was much different for the network, which placed nine of top 10 programs. Fox News has also seen itself as the top-rated cable news channel for 11 consecutive years. Its 6 a.m. program draws double the ratings of the CNN top-ranked prime-time show.
In the recent ratings, Fox News experienced its worst prime time ratings in the 25-54 demographic since August of 2001. Overall, it’s the network’s lowest ratings since June of 2008.
Rachel Maddow placed 10th, beating “Studio B” and the repeat of “The O’Reilly Factor” at 11 p.m. Maddow placed 14th in January of 2012. The only cable news channel to increase its ratings compared to 2012 was MSNBC.
The ratings show a pattern has continued that began in 2012; viewers of Fox News changed the channel en masse during Democratic events such as the Democratic National Convention, the hours after the re-election of President Obama, and the inauguration of Obama. MSNBC was able to grab a large chunk of the liberal viewers because of its Democratic-friendly lineup.
At CNN, the network was led by “The Situation Room,” “Piers Morgan Tonight” and Anderson Cooper’s program.
As a liberal, I do enjoy the lovely schadenfreude-tastic Ha-ha moment.
Even so, I am bothered by the rising ratings of MSNBC. The last thing we need to do is create a bubble of feel-good left wing propaganda analogous to the one that left conservatives “shocked” when Obama won easily.
Sure, make MSNBC an occasional treat, but understand that as far as journalism goes, its junkfood – a funnel cake to Fox’s deep fried candy bar.