MSNBC Viewers Still Haven’t Returned Post-Election – Will They Ever Come Back?

The network’s primetime audience has dropped by half, and the viewership decline may underline a growing exodus to podcasts and YouTube

MSNBC POST-ELECTION RATINGS DECLINE
MSNBC's linear ratings have not recovered after Donald Trump's re-election. Growing distrust for personalities Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski and Rachel Maddow may be a factor. (Christopher Smith/TheWrap)

More than a month after the November election, MSNBC’s primetime audience — which dropped by half after Donald Trump’s victory — has still not returned. Will viewers come back after the inauguration when the reality of a second Trump term sets in, or has some of the audience abandoned the network for good, signaling a further shift away from traditional media?

Either way, the numbers are stark. MSNBC’s total primetime audience has fallen a shocking 55% from November 4 through December 15, according to the latest Nielsen figures released on Tuesday.

CNN has faced a similar drop, a 46.7% decrease, while Fox News has seen its primetime audience grow 10.7%,

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