MSNBC’s Programming Overhaul Flops: Jen Psaki’s Show Sheds Nearly Half Its Viewers in Just One Month

MSNBC’s much-anticipated programming shakeup is off to a rocky start, with early ratings suggesting the overhaul may have missed the mark—especially when it comes to the network’s marquee name, Jen Psaki.

Psaki, the former Biden White House press secretary turned political host, took over the network’s prized 9 p.m. ET timeslot Tuesday through Friday with a new show titled The Briefing with Jen Psaki. The move came as The Rachel Maddow Show scaled back to Mondays only, following a temporary five-night-a-week return during the early days of Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign.

But instead of revitalizing the primetime lineup, Psaki’s debut has delivered a ratings drop that’s hard to ignore.

A Steep Slide in Viewership

Since its launch on May 6, The Briefing with Jen Psaki has averaged just 971,000 total viewers through May 28. That’s a staggering 47% decline compared to the combined average of Rachel Maddow and Alex Wagner, who previously shared the 9 p.m. slot during the same weekday stretch in 2025.

Even more concerning for network execs, Psaki’s show is underperforming in the advertiser-coveted 25–54 demographic. Her program has drawn only 78,000 viewers in that age group—a 52% drop from the 161,000 Maddow and Wagner averaged.

A Broader Ratings Woes Across the Network

Psaki isn’t the only one struggling. The Weeknight—an ensemble program launched to replace The ReidOut with Joy Reid—has also stumbled out of the gate. Featuring former Kamala Harris spokesperson Symone Sanders-Townsend, journalist Alicia Menendez, and former RNC chair Michael Steele, the show averaged 776,000 total viewers, down 12% from the 886,000 that Reid and interim shows had managed earlier this year.

The story is even worse among key demo viewers: The Weeknight averaged just 72,000 viewers aged 25–54—a 20% drop from the 90,000 seen in that slot prior to the revamp.

Meanwhile, The Weekend: Primetime—a new panel program featuring Antonia Hylton, Catherine Rampell, Elise Jordan, and Ayman Mohyeldin—is down 11% in total viewers and 6% in the demo compared to the shows it replaced.

One Bright Spot—But It’s the Exception

Amid all the ratings turbulence, there is one glimmer of hope for MSNBC: The Weekend with Jonathan Capehart, Eugene Daniels, and Jackie Alemany. Since its May 3 premiere, the show is up 24% in total viewers and 29% in the demo, making it the only new program outperforming its predecessor.

Second-Worst May Ever in the Demo

Despite the overhaul, MSNBC closed out May with dismal performance in the key 25–54 demographic. According to Nielsen ratings, the network averaged just 49,000 demo viewers in total day—its second-lowest May ever—and lost to CNN, which posted 59,000.

In primetime, CNN also edged out MSNBC in the demo, averaging 76,000 viewers compared to MSNBC’s 73,000.

By contrast, Fox News continues to dominate the cable news landscape, outperforming both MSNBC and CNN in total viewers and in key time slots—so much so that it even surpassed ABC in weekday primetime.

Psaki Under Pressure as Critics Point to Credibility Gaps

Psaki’s struggling debut comes amid renewed scrutiny over her credibility. She’s recently faced backlash for defending President Biden’s mental fitness—a topic that has only gained traction since the release of the Hur report, which raised concerns about the president’s cognitive decline. Psaki has claimed she saw no signs of mental deterioration while working with Biden, but that insistence has drawn skepticism from critics and voters alike.

An MSNBC insider, however, pushed back on claims that the network’s strategy is faltering. They argued that Psaki has improved on the lead-in audience and faced stiff competition during her first month, including the NBA and NHL playoffs. They also noted that Maddow’s higher ratings were bolstered by the “historic news cycle” during Trump’s first 100 days, creating an apples-to-oranges comparison.

What’s Next for MSNBC?

The network’s ratings woes come at a pivotal time. Parent company Comcast is preparing to spin off NBCUniversal’s cable assets—including MSNBC—into a new standalone company called Versant, which will operate independently from NBC News. That move adds even more urgency to MSNBC’s need to stabilize and grow its primetime audience.

MSNBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

As the dust settles from the network’s sweeping changes, one thing is clear: The early results aren’t just disappointing—they’re a wake-up call. Whether Psaki and her fellow hosts can reverse course remains to be seen, but for now, the numbers speak for themselves.