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The stars aligned for MSNBC on Monday when Rachel Maddow’s previously scheduled interview with Hillary Clinton fell on the same evening as Donald Trump’s fourth criminal indictment, drawing a whopping 3.93 million total viewers at 9 p.m. ET.
Trump was indicted on criminal charges for the fourth time on Monday by the Georgia grand jury over the state’s 2020 election probe. The former president is being charged under Georgia’s racketeering statute, used to prosecute corrupt organizations. In the indictment, Trump and other defendants — Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Sidney Powell, and more — are required to voluntarily turn themselves in by Friday.
MSNBC’s special coverage of the indictment in Georgia swept overall primetime figures as the No. 1 most-watched cable news channel with 3.09 million total viewers. Fox News came in second place with 2.20 million total viewers, while CNN lagged behind with 1.17 million viewers, according to Nielsen-live-plus-same-day figures.
The trend continued in the demo for primetime, with MSNBC leading the pack with 415,000 viewers in the key cable demographic among adults 25-54. Fox News came in second with 254,000 viewers, and CNN in third with 232,000 viewers in the demo.
MSNBC’s 9 p.m. hour, which featured an exclusive interview with Clinton, was No. 1 across all of television, including broadcast. The interview brought in 3.93 million total viewers. Fox News drew 2.40 million total viewers at 9 p.m., hosted by Sean Hannity, while CNN had 1.25 million total viewers.
During the interview, Maddow asked if Clinton gained any satisfaction from Trump’s criminal indictment in Georgia, considering she “warned that the country, essentially, that he was going to try to end democracy.”
“Well, it’s hard to believe. I don’t feel any satisfaction,” Clinton replied. “Just great profound sadness.”
“This is a terrible moment for our country,” continued Clinton.
In the 25-54 demo for the 9 p.m. hour, Rachel Maddow’s interview secured 538,000 viewers. Fox News followed with 285,000 viewers, and CNN came in third with 255,000 viewers in the demo.
MSNBC’s special coverage of the indictment in the 10 p.m. hour was also No. 1 across all of television, including broadcast, with 3.22 million total viewers. Fox News’ “Hannity,” with an extra hour on Monday, secured 2.02 million total viewers at 10 p.m. while CNN came in third with 1.3 million total viewers.
As for the demo, MSNBC nabbed 436,000 viewers in the 25-54 age range for the 10 p.m. hour, with Fox News securing 252,000 viewers, and CNN with 267,000 viewers.
During the 11 p.m. hour, MSNBC aired Fulton County DA Fani Willis’ press conference about the Georgia indictment, which scored 3.45 million total viewers.
