MSNBC A25-54 Viewership Doubles Following Biden’s Exit Announcement and Harris Endorsement
Double-Digit And Triple-Digit Audience Gains Across Key Demographics
MSNBC Digital Delivers Record Levels On MSNBC Mobile App; Record Month On TikTok, Doubling Its Previous Record
(New York – July 30, 2024) – Following a major shift in the dynamic of the 2024 presidential race, with President Joe Biden announcing his withdrawal and Vice President Kamala Harris announcing her bid, MSNBC has seen a surge of viewers turning to the network for key breaking news moments and for trusted real-time reaction and analysis from MSNBC’s hosts.
From Sunday, July 21, the day of President Biden’s announcement to exit the presidential race, through Saturday, July 27, MSNBC averaged 60% more total day viewers (1 million vs. 629K) and 70% more primetime viewers (1.7 million vs. 1 million) than during the prior three weeks. Among Adults 25-54, MSNBC had its highest-rated week in 12 months. A25-54 primetime viewership doubled compared to the first three weeks of July (8pm-11pm: 221,000 vs. 110,000).
MSNBC Drew its Largest Sunday Audience in Four Years Following President Biden’s Withdrawal From 2024 Race
On Sunday, July 21, the day of President Biden’s historic announcement not to seek re-election, MSNBC drew its largest Sunday audience in four years. MSNBC doubled its normal Sunday audience and attracted three times as many A25-54 as usual. MSNBC topped CNN in every hour of coverage from 3pm to 3am. MSNBC’s primetime special (7pm-10pm) delivered the network’s largest Sunday night audience in nearly eight years.
MSNBC Sees Double-Digital and Triple-Digit Audience Gains Across Key Demographics
MSNBC has had an influx of viewers – disproportionately younger, female skewing, and diverse – since President Biden’s endorsement of current Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday, July 21. On Sunday, MSNBC drew four times as many women as usual and twice as many women as CNN. In the days that followed, MSNBC continued to see a surge in viewership across demographic groups. From Monday-Friday, compared to the first three weeks of July, MSNBC drew 50% more White viewers, 60% more Hispanic viewers, and 85% more viewers under the age of 55. MSNBC’s audience doubled among Black men, Black women, and Asian women. Among Black Americans and Asian Americans, MSNBC had its largest primetime audience of the year to date.
“Morning Joe” Draws Largest Audience in 12 Months, Continues to Own the 6am Hour and Dominate CNN in the Mornings
“Morning Joe” (M-F 6am-10am) ended the month of July with its most-watched week since August 2023. Excluding the week that Donald Trump was indicted in Fulton County (Aug. 14-18), “Morning Joe” had its largest audience since March 2021.
In the past month, “Morning Joe” proved how indispensable it continues to be after 17 years on the air. The co-hosts’ recent pivotal interviews, including with President Joe Biden, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Biden Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon, and potential running mates to Vice President Kamala Harris, drove the news cycle for weeks. “Morning Joe” was once again the most-watched cable morning show in the Washington, D.C. television market. “Morning Joe” has ranked #1 in Washington for 27 consecutive months and #1 in New York for 26 consecutive months.
Year to date, MSNBC is the most-watched cable network on weekdays in the 6am hour. In July, “Morning Joe” topped CNN for the 113th consecutive month among total viewers and for the 27th straight month among A25-54.
MSNBC Prime Tops CNN in Total Viewers for 42nd Consecutive Month, “The Rachel Maddow Show” Ranks #1 in Its Time Slot
In July, MSNBC beat CNN in prime time (M-Su 8pm-11pm) for the 42nd straight month (1.2 million vs. 856K). All weekday MSNBC programs from 4pm-12am topped CNN in their respective time slots. On Wednesday July 24, the night of President Biden’s Oval Office address, three out of five viewers turned to MSNBC over CNN for live coverage and analysis. Year to date, MSNBC is drawing its largest primetime audience since 2021, with two consecutive years of audience gains.
“The Rachel Maddow Show” (Mondays at 9pm) is the #1 news program in its time slot in 2024 to date. Through July, “Maddow” (2.6 million viewers) is outpacing FOX News’ “Hannity” on Monday nights (2.5 million) and drawing four times as many total viewers as CNN’s “The Source with Kaitlan Collins” (607K). On Monday July 22, “Maddow” attracted MSNBC’s largest Monday night audience of 2024 to date. So far this year, “Maddow” is the most DVR’d program in all of cable news, with more time-shifted viewers (811K within seven days of air date) than any other cable news program.
“MSNBC Reports” Beats CNN in Dayside For 22nd Straight Month
In dayside (M-F 10am-4pm), MSNBC beat CNN among total viewers for the 22nd straight month. During the final week of July, “MSNBC Reports” had a 60% increase in viewership among total viewers and A25-54 compared to the first three weeks of the month.
MSNBC’s Largest Weekend Audience Across Both Demos in Three Years; Special “100 Days” Election Programming Delivers Double-Digit Lifts Versus Sunday Norms
July was a historic month for weekend breaking news, and for the 8th straight month, MSNBC topped CNN in weekend viewership. MSNBC’s weekend programming (Sa-Su 8am-9pm) drew its largest audience in more than three years among total viewers and A25-54. Year over year, MSNBC weekend viewership increased by +37% among total viewers and +53% among Adults 25-54.
In the morning, “The Weekend” (Sa-Su 8am-10am) beat CNN for the 7th straight month among total viewers. Compared to the year-ago norms, “The Weekend” delivered double-digit audience gains among total viewers (+42%) and A25-54 (+37%). With 100 days until the presidential election, MSNBC’s special programming on Sunday, July 28 delivered double-digit viewership increases versus Sunday norms (673K vs. 573K).
#1 Cable Network in Top Influential Markets Across the U.S. Including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco
Year to date, MSNBC is the most-watched cable network in 5 of the top 10 television markets. Through July, MSNBC is the #1 cable network in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. In a pivotal month in the presidential election, MSNBC beat out both FOX News and CNN in the Beltway as the most-watched cable network in total day, morning, dayside, and prime time. MSNBC topped CNN in each of the top 25 television markets for the 10th straight month.
Largest Viewership Advantage Over CNN In Network History
Through the first seven months of 2024, MSNBC is having its most-watched year since 2021, with two consecutive years of audience gains. Year to date, MSNBC has its largest viewership advantage over CNN in network history: MSNBC is averaging 68% more viewers than CNN in the average minute (799K vs. 477K). In July, MSNBC recorded its 28th straight monthly win over CNN.
MSNBC boasts the most loyal and engaged weekday audience in all of television. In a typical week, the average MSNBC viewer watches the network for 8.4 hours from Monday to Friday, on par with the FOX News average and more than doubling the CNN average.
MSNBC Digital Delivers Record Levels on the MSNBC Mobile App; Record Month on TikTok, Doubling its Previous Record
MSNBC Digital had its strongest month since January 2021 across several key metrics, including unique visitors, visits, and page views. All three metrics grew by at least 55% year-over-year, driven in part by the site’s breaking news coverage. For page views, MSNBC Digital had one of its top three months on record, surpassing 100 million page views for the first time in three and a half years. It was also the strongest month on record for the MSNBC Mobile App.
Across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, MSNBC Digital is pacing to deliver more than 450 million video views with triple-digit year-over-year growth. On TikTok, MSNBC surpassed two million followers and reached record levels with more than 150 million video views, more than doubling its previous record earlier in the year and 12 times larger than its performance in the same month last year. July is the brand’s eighth consecutive month with year-over-year growth with every month this year among its top 10 months ever on the platform. On YouTube, MSNBC is also pacing to deliver one of its top 10 months ever and is expected to surpass CNN on the platform for the 16th straight month.
According to Comscore, MSNBC Digital had one of its top three quarters on record in 2Q 2024, growing by 36% versus 2Q 2023. MSNBC continued to rank as a top three political news designated based on audience, in addition to ranking #1 based on total minutes spent on site.
Source: Adobe Analytics, Unique Visitors, Visits and Page Views, July 1 – 28, 2024. ListenFirst, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram Video Views, July 1 – 26, 2024. Comscore Media Metrix® , April 2024 – June 2024, Desktop & Mobile excluding Social Incremental, Monthly Unique Visitors & Total Minutes, Political News Category, U.S.
TV Source: Nielsen, Live+SD, Persons 2+ and Adults 25-54. Total Day = M-Su 6am-6am. July 2024: 7/1/24-7/28/24. Viewership lifts during week after Biden announcement based on Monday-Friday vs. prior-3-week average. Consecutive years of audience growth: 2024 to date (1/1/24-7/28/24) vs. 2023 FY (12/26/22-12/31/23) vs. 2022 FY (12/27/21-12/25/22). Weekday time spent viewing based on 6-minute reach qualifier, M-F 6am-6am. Race and Ethnicity rankings and claims based on time period data. TRMS claims, 2024 to date, Most Current, excluding RNC Special Coverage on 7/15.Time-shifted viewers (i.e., non-Live): watching DVR up to 7 days after original air date, among regularly-scheduled cable news programs 2024 to date. Sunday, 7/28 8am-9am vs. prior-4-week average excluding, Sun. 7/21. Local market data based on: Nielsen NSI, P2+, Monday – Friday total day, national cable networks, 2024 to date.
Press Contacts:
Richard.Hudock@nbcuni.com
