The Shift in Cable News: How Fox News is Still Leading While MSNBC Gains Ground
As Steve Manes observed, the landscape of cable news has shifted significantly, with unexpected results. In recent weeks, MSNBC has managed to outperform Fox News in viewership, an achievement that scales all the way to the digital realm where The New York Times (NYT) and The Washington Post are experiencing unprecedented growth in readership. President Trump's actions, which some argue may be counterproductive, have ironically made his political adversaries even stronger.
Advantages of High-Profile Events for MSNBC
In a noteworthy move, MSNBC aired a town hall event featuring Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a key player in the 2020 presidential race. This event likely attracted more viewers compared to CNN's similarly themed event with Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Despite both networks attempting to capitalize on the political interest generated by these events, the traditional programming lineup of Fox News continued to dominate viewership figures.
Fox News' Dominance in Key Demographics
According to TVNewser, Fox News Channel (FNC) captured viewers during its Monday broadcasts with regular programming, even beating CNN and MSNBC in terms of primetime viewership. The network's shows, such as “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” Hannity,” and “The Ingraham Angle,” managed to capture the attention of the key demographic of adults aged 25-54. Fox News averaged 2.8 million primetime viewers compared to 2.1 million for MSNBC and 1.1 million for CNN.
Weekend Performance and Total Day Viewers
Fox News' consistent performance extended beyond just a single night, as it finished the ninth straight week as the most-watched cable network in primetime, according to Nielsen Media Research. For the week of March 11-17, Fox News averaged 2.4 million primetime viewers, surpassing ESPN, which came in second with 1.9 million viewers. Meanwhile, MSNBC finished in third place, and CNN did not make it into the top 10.
Digital Growth for Mainstream Media
While traditional cable news networks are performing well, The New York Times and The Washington Post have also seen significant growth in digital readership. The rise of these two publications can be attributed to their extensive coverage of political events and breaking news, which has resonated with a wide audience. This digital growth is not just limited to readership; the engagement brought by these publications attracts more online followers and subscribers.
Implications for President Trump's Strategy
President Trump's strategy, which focuses on making his enemies stronger, appears to be having an ironic effect. By engaging his political opponents publicly and entertaining them on platforms like MSNBC and CNN town halls, he may be inadvertently feeding into their narrative and attracting viewers. This is further evidenced by the traditional news programs and town halls of these networks drawing more viewers than the President's own agenda.
Assessing the implications of these shifts, it is clear that while President Trump's actions may be aimed at undermining his enemies, they are paradoxically empowering them. The viewership data shows that the traditional programming and top-tier news channels of MSNBC are performing better, while the political news from The New York Times and The Washington Post have seen unprecedented growth. This trend highlights the need for careful consideration of the long-term strategic impact of such actions in a highly media-saturated environment.