Psaki’s MSNBC Show Faces Ratings Challenges After Maddow’s Reduced Schedule

Jen Psaki, the former White House Press Secretary under President Joe Biden, has seen a rocky start to her expanded role at MSNBC, particularly in the coveted 9 p.m. ET timeslot previously dominated by Rachel Maddow. While Psaki initially joined MSNBC hosting "Inside" on Sundays and Mondays, she now anchors "The Briefing" Tuesday through Friday, filling the gap left by Maddow’s transition back to a once-a-week schedule.

Maddow, a ratings powerhouse for MSNBC, had temporarily returned to a five-night-a-week format during the initial months of Donald Trump’s presidency, demonstrating the draw of her show when focusing on significant political events. However, with Maddow’s shift back to Monday-only appearances, the pressure is on Psaki to maintain viewership and attract the crucial demographic of adults aged 25-54.

The debut of "The Briefing" on Tuesday offered a glimmer of hope, attracting 1.2 million viewers overall and 139,000 viewers within the key 25-54 demographic. These figures, while not matching Maddow’s peak performance, represented a reasonable starting point for Psaki’s new venture. However, the numbers took a significant downturn in the subsequent episode on Wednesday.

Total viewership for "The Briefing" dipped to just over one million, while the 25-54 demographic plummeted to a mere 65,000. This represents a staggering 53% decrease in the advertiser-coveted demographic within a single day, raising concerns about the show’s ability to retain viewers. The news was even worse when considering the 18-49 demographic. That group declined by 67% as the show averaged 113,000 on Tuesday, but just 37,000 on Wednesday.

To put these numbers into perspective, Maddow’s performance at 9 p.m. ET the previous week averaged 1.9 million total viewers and 141,000 in the 25-54 demographic. Psaki’s second episode shed 46% of the totals among all viewers, and 54% in the important demographic.

The challenges facing "The Briefing" extend beyond simply not meeting Maddow’s previous ratings. On Wednesday, Psaki’s program was outdrawn by 38 different cable news offerings among the advertiser-coveted demographic, despite occupying a prime timeslot. This included the entirety of Fox News Channel’s lineup, as well as 13 different CNN shows and seven other MSNBC programs.

The stark reality is that Psaki’s program is struggling to capture the attention of younger viewers, potentially indicating a disconnect between her on-air persona and the interests of that demographic. This is highlighted by the fact that the show’s viewership among adults aged 25-54 was lower than various reruns of sitcoms such as "Friends," "Seinfeld," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Bob’s Burgers," "The King of Queens," and "That ’70s Show." Even children’s programming like Nickelodeon’s "Paw Patrol" and Hallmark’s "Reba," along with TLC’s "My Strange Addiction," managed to attract a larger audience in the key demographic than "The Briefing."

The impact of Psaki’s performance extends beyond her own show, as it seemingly dragged down the ratings of her primetime colleagues. MSNBC experienced its lowest-rated Wednesday from 8-11 p.m. among both total viewers and the key demographic since January 8, 2017, prior to Trump’s inauguration. The 9 p.m. program reached its lowest rating among the key demographic on a Wednesday since Alex Wagner attracted 40,000 in the demographic on December 11, 2024.

Psaki’s background as a political operative, particularly her role as Biden’s first press secretary, may be a contributing factor to the audience’s lukewarm reception. While her experience provides her with valuable insights into the inner workings of Washington, it also subjects her to scrutiny from viewers who perceive her as partisan.

Her previous defenses of President Biden’s mental fitness, for example, have likely solidified her image as a loyal Democrat in the eyes of many viewers, potentially alienating those who are skeptical of the Biden administration.

The challenges facing Jen Psaki and "The Briefing" highlight the complexities of transitioning from a political role to a media career. While her experience and connections may offer certain advantages, she must also overcome the perception of partisanship and find a way to connect with a broad audience. Whether she can turn the tide and improve her ratings remains to be seen, but the initial numbers paint a concerning picture for MSNBC’s newest primetime offering.