MSNBC Beat Fox in Primetime After Election Day

Do ultra-partisan news shows attract the most viewers?

Fox News has for years been the most-watched news network, but that may not be true for much longer. Two primetime MSNBC shows, Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell, overtook their Fox counterparts Hannity and Great Van Susteran among the all-important "demo" - the 25-54-year-old demographic - in the week after the election.

In the week of November 12-16, Maddow's 9pm show averaged 480,000 viewers age 25-54, compared to Hannity's 439,000. O'Donnell's Last Word at 10pm averaged 396,000 viewers, beating On the Record with Greta Van Susteren's 362,000.

MSNBC's ratings may be helped by the fact that the network has become more partisan - more so even than Fox. The left-leaning network aired way more spots dissing Mitt than Fox showed against Obama. You'd expect a liberal TV channel to oppose Republican Romney, but the relentless MSNBC onslaught was still kind of mindblowing. In the week leading up to the election, MSNBC aired a multitude of negative stories on the GOP challenger, and NO positive ones.

Data via Media Bistro. Infographic from Newscorpse.

Posted Nov 21, 8am PST.

Do you find partisanship more appealing than balanced coverage on cable news shows?

[MRMacrum]

This is just more of "elections have consquences". I love it.

[DerivePI]

No, I like Fox and Cspan.

[PNWest]

I don't think propaganda disguising itself as news is a good thing. Fox News has been bad for America. MSNBC is more balanced but still too partisan.

[jamie91]

I agree. I would prefer more balance, but then I rarely watch the news because it is so single sided.

[PNWest]

@jamie91 I try to get news from various sources around the web. I rarely watch the TV news now either unless it about a breaking major story. If MSNBC becomes the anti-Fox News I am afraid that it's viewers will end up as uninformed as typical Fox News viewers.

[bsking]

if you really think MSNBC is more balanced maybe you should reread the article in this story...sheesh

[PNWest]

@bsking Thanks for backing up my argument bs. Hope that you are having a nice day.

[bsking]

@PNWest I'm having a wonderful day in fact I just announced to all my employees their 1000 dollar bonus would be double this year , but I won't be giving turkeys away. it seems they are happy to have the cash. you see I'm old school evil capitalist Republican, I even gave bonuses to the Democrats who work for me.

[DanielMincin]

Yes. Viewers want their views justified and get more of that by watching networks that support their view.

[ir0nw0lfe]

Sad but true.

[Bobolinsky]

There IS no balanced coverage. Willful ignorance of the Liberal bias in the mainstream media doesn't mean that there isn't a bias.

[DerivePI]

I deny your reality and substitute my own.

[ir0nw0lfe]

@DerivePI you and 47 % of the rest of the country + 3% who want things to decline.

[Food4thoughts]

Obviously, considering Fox News dominance in ratings for the last 12 years...MSNBC noticed and fought fire with fire... It's all about ratings now.

[Mercury34]

Partisanship is gonna be more appealing to the public. Who wouldn't want to see Hannity engaging in an anti-Obama rant and Chris Matthews dissing Romney all the time?

[MRMacrum]

Well actually I wouldn't. I find both to be obnoxious, but for different reasons.

[Penn1699]

I especially enjoyed Matthews meltdown after the first debate. LOL! Still smile at the memory.
Both sides' propaganda machines are out of control. Can't watch any of them. I use the Internet and research to form my opinions, not some partisan advertisement of the latest spin on reality.

[MRMacrum]

@Penn1699 And I still smile at Rove's panic attack as the Ohio vote turned against him. Or Bill trying to explain the loss. Ah the memories. I will cherish them forever.

I do not allow any one source to frame my opinion.

[Penn1699]

@MRMacrum I was so disgusted by Rove and OReillys behavior that I won't watch OReilly. Rove I've never really liked anyway. They are ignorant and pompous.
It was Matthews expressions, he wears his emotions on his sleeve so to speak.
Actually it is my belief we were all astounded by the Pres. loss of his usual elloquent self.

[MRMacrum]

@Penn1699 - Rove first came onto my radar back during the Watergate madness. I forgot about him until he popped up as the guy in charge of Dubya's reelection for governor of Texas. He has been a sleaze bag his entire life. That is why this latest fall from grace will not affect him. He has been in this position many times before.

O'reilly is a bloviating jerk and a bully.

Mathews is just flat out rude, even though when calm, he proves he is the one loyal champion of the Liberal cause.

Iwas stunned by Obama/s lackluster performance during the first debate also. It was almost as if he had toked up just before going on stage.

[bsking]

yeah good for them MSNBC has finally become the 'Maury' of cable news... next ill be running paternity shows of course the leave out the angry young man at the 9 o'clock slot, word is he has no desire in that area

[IraqWarVeteran]

Fox News has been the top cable news channel for a decade.

[Pragmatist]

So... would it be fair to include Fox News as part of the "mainstream media" is it is the most popular "new channel for a decade"?

[bsking]

more likely that Fox viewers are busy hiding all their money so that little grabbers don't get ahold of it... which would also explain the spike in MSNBC viewership, they're probably doing specials on how to get more out of government " benefits"..

[Cool_voter]

All those republicans hidin their money is exactly why our country is in shambles today.. Thanks for proving a decent point here bs

[LGRepublican]

@Cool_voter Key term is THEIR MONEY. They can do with it as they please.....

[bsking]

@Cool_voter that's too funny. spending more money than we have is why were in shambles. get with the program

[Cool_voter]

@LGRepublican but even if its at the cost of the nation they pledge alliegance to? Tax them accordingly, if you make more, you gota pay more, because we are taxed on what we make. Why do the filthy rich deserve tax cuts when we could cut welfare nearly in half by lowing middle class taxes, so they can afford the things they need, this stimulating out economy

[LGRepublican]

@Cool_voter It's not government's job to take based on what they think they need. It's up to the people to decide what government should be allowed to have. It's not government's money, it's the people's and if those people decide government takes too much, that's their right. Besides, it's not right that those that pay nothing and contribute nothing tell the rest of us what they think is fair.

[Pack7]

This won't last. Fox News has it's faults but it is way more balanced than MSNBC. Right now it is a novelty but people won't stay with that network. Way too radical. Moreover, I am not sure these ratings are accurate. How could anyone watch that O'Donnell guy. He is the most smug, arrogant individual on TV. Even more smug than O'Reilly.

[erbmrb]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA MSNBC more radical than FOX? Yes, I am CERTAIN the ratings are inaccurate as well. Follow this link ------> http://ww.unskewedratings.com for the truth! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Whew....thanks for the best laugh I have had all day. Personally I don't believe ANY of the networks. I actually research and find out what is true and what is not. When we start relying on TV to fact check for us we are all in trouble. WAKE UP PEOPLE! USE THAT GRAY MATTER!:P

[Pack7]

@erbmrb
Glad you do your research. I don't have time for such drivel. Just stating my opinion. You are right about not believing the networks. Also, I didn't realize I was so funny to make you laugh like that. Maybe I need to research my future.

[erbmrb]

@Pack7 You don't have time for such drivel as doing research to find the truth? So...you just vote on the basis of....ummm.......I give up.....what?

[Pack7]

@erbmrb
If I need to do research on a bunch of pundits on left or right wing networks in order for me to determine how I vote, then I don't really know how or who to vote for in the first place. Like I said I don't have time for such drivel. I am only going by what I have seen on those two networks and MSNBC is so far left of center that I sometimes think I am listening to State run television. I don't like some of the stuff on Fox either but at least they put different people with different opinions on their network. I'm glad you do your research but I would hate to think that people like Rachel Maddow, Sean Hannity, or that bitter, prune faced O'Donnell guy, would have any influence on how I vote. I don't need those people and I really don't watch them that much. Maybe you do and know better based on all your research. Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless.

[erbmrb]

@Pack7 Actually my question was how DO you know who to vote for. You never did say so it would appear that you actually do put stock in the "drivel" you hear on FOX supposed news. Of course Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity are completely unbiased. Please........If you do some research on some of the real fact checking sites you will find almost everything that came out of the mouths of the people on FOX before the election was pure BS. Anyway, it's okay because I don't have to watch that garbage nor do I have to watch MSNBC. In fact, I don't have to watch TV at all!:)

[ctc]

I occasionally watch both. It's healthy to know where the extremist elements of each party stand. Staying in a bubble is a losing option.......ask Mitt.

[Denizen_Kate]

I also watch both every now and then, as I did for a couple of days just after the election. As for deciding on the issues and candidates: mother always said there are two sides to every coin, and one should never judge until they've seen or heard both sides. Or in some cases, multiple sides. That said, seeing Karl Rove on Fox News, red-faced and nearly at a loss for words, made me feel all warm and fuzzy. It was very gratifying to note that in spite of spending hundreds of millions of dollars, men like Rove, Trump, the Koch brothers, etc. came away with nothing from this election but a good spanking. Listening to Rush Limbaugh practically crying was fun, too.

[MRMacrum]

@Denizen_Kate - I will admit to taking some pleasure at their pain.

[PoliticalSpice]

All news commentary has a bias. Commentators that claim not too are not being honest with themselves. A bais that is well known to the veiwers enables them to better understand the and interpret what is being presented because it equips veiwers with ability to consider the bias of the source...

[GetAwake]

I "beliebe" that in one particular case, a bunch of teens have mistaken one of the pundits in question for a certain singer named Justin.

[MRMacrum]

Yeah, Hannity could pass for Justin with a change in his hair color.

[GetAwake]

I think we all know who looks just like him...maybe a bit "angrier".

[GetAwake]

@Keyjo It's just that your smartphone is smart enough to know that no one should be talking about this kid.

[David944]

I stopped watching news for a few days lets see what the ratings are next month. Though I don’t generally watch Hannity or Gteta anyway. I notice those are the only 2 fox programs mentioned.

[LetsAllBeHappy]

David this story was posted on the 21, this viewer rating was on the 16, the info politix is providing is only for the 25-54 year olds-when all ages of the viewers are combined-Hannity and Greta had the most viewers. Interesting enough-when politix printed this story maddow and odonnal had less viewers already.-. silly grab at fake or partial ratings if you ask me. Hey Guess what-Romney won Indiana- and I am going to stop there-I will not give the whole story and say Obama won the election.

[1hardcorerepub]

Rachel madcow is a chick?

When did that happen?

[Keyjo]

Both MS.BC and FOX ate propaganda machines. I stick with CNN for cable news.

[Hireman]

I think this is temporary. Those in the right and GOP have always had a friend in FOX, and they are still licking their wounds. On their polar opposite left sits MSNBC which soft-tosses all on the left and the Dems. Right now, they're basking in their brilliant win. Of course this is bound to happen. In the US, however, we have no more neutral reporting, and the only network that serves the right in FOX. They will reclaim their viewers and the top ratings as they don't have any competition. Should they get a more moderate competitor, that could easily change.

[Zoe2012]

Wouldn't know, don't watch MSNBC, watch Fox! I don't like MSNBC or the people on there, hard to imagine anyone does!

[LetsAllBeHappy]

did you get a note of who politix is using as a source for this story pityful. I did non like Roves response or Reilly's know it all attitude-nor Hannity's hatefulness, but the source politix used and how they themselves spun it-is ridiculoussly as bias