MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show vs Fox News' The Sean Hannity Show: A Ratings Conundrum

The month of February 2019 proved to be quite fascinating in the world of prime time political talk shows, with both MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show and Fox News' The Sean Hannity Show claiming victories in their respective ratings.

NBC's Victory Proclaimed

MSNBC took the lead in its news release, declaring a significant win for their host, Rachel Maddow. According to their own statement, “MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show Dominated Cable News in February, 1st in A25-54 for 3rd Straight Month.” They highlighted that Maddow had the highest-rated show in all of cable news with an impressive average total audience of 3.1 million viewers and an average of 549,000 viewers in the key demographic group, adults aged 25 to 54.

Fox's Counter-Claim

Just moments later, Fox News Channel announced a victory for its own host, Sean Hannity. They gauged their success using the statement: “Hannity Crushes Competition in Cable News with Total Viewers and the Demo.” Fox noted that Hannity’s show had the highest-rated show in cable news with a total audience of 3.165 million, just beating Maddow's 3.067 million. In the key demographic, Hannity secured the top spot with 575,000 viewers, while Maddow only managed third place with 549,000.

The Ratings Conundrum: Why Can’t Both Be First?

So, the question remains: How can both Rachel Maddow and Sean Hannity claim to be number one in cable news ratings during the same month? The answer lies in the way networks interpret and present their data.

Both networks rely on Nielsen for their data, but their approaches to presenting the ratings differ. Each network focuses on different metrics to highlight their strengths and downplay their competitor's achievements. Let's break down the discrepancies:

MSNBC’s Perspective

MSNBC stated that Maddow had a total audience of 3.067 million, while Hannity had 3.024 million. This makes Maddow appear as the winner in terms of total viewers. MSNBC also highlighted that Maddow finished first among viewers aged 25-54, with 549,000 viewers. However, MSNBC dismissed Fox News' inclusion of special nights, pointing out that Maddow had an audience of over 3 million on 15 of 19 nights in February, while Hannity only had 3 million on 9 nights.

FOX News’ Perspective

FOX News concentrated on Hannity's higher total audience of 3.165 million, excluding lower-rated nights when a fill-in host was present. FOX News emphasized that Hannity's show had an average total audience of 3.165 million, just beating Maddow's 3.067 million. They also pointed out that Hannity was first in the key demo with 575,000 viewers, with Maddow trailing behind.

The Broader Context

Though they disagree on who should be considered the winner in February, the networks both used Nielsen data to highlight their strengths and minimize their competitor's achievements. This approach is common in the world of television and ratings.

In terms of overall ratings:

MSNBC reported a 9% increase in their prime time audience among viewers 25-54 and a 12% increase in total viewers. FOX News, on the other hand, experienced a drop of 6% in both total viewership and key demographic viewership compared to the previous year.

However, despite the fluctuations, FOX News still held a strong position in cable news with four of the top five shows in prime time.

Conclusion

The February ratings battle showcased how both MSNBC and Fox News have their own way of presenting the data, aiming to present the best possible narrative for their respective hosts and de-emphasizing their opponents. This dynamic is a testament to the competitive nature of the cable news industry, where minute metrics can have significant implications for both viewership and ad revenue.