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MSNBC Snags Primetime Top Spot For First Time Ever

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Nielsen Research reported Monday that MSNBC finished as the most-watched network on basic cable for the first time in its history.

Nielsen’s May numbers showed MSNBC had 2.34 million viewers compared to 2.25 million for Fox, which came in second. CNN placed ninth with 875,000 average viewers, the Hill reported Tuesday. Disney, USA Networks, and HGTV finished behind MSNBC and FOX in the top five.

MSNBC also led the pack in viewers age 25-54, the most important category for advertisers. The network boasted 532,000 average daily viewers in this category, compared to FOX’s 524,000 and CNN’s 455,000. (RELATED: CNN Can’t Crack Top 10 In Cable Ratings)

Rachel Maddow’s MSNBC show ranked as the number one cable news program for this week as well, beating out Fox’s ‘The Five,’ and various CNN specials for viewership among adults age 25-54 at the 9 p.m. hour, a first in the network’s 20-year history. Her show garnered 2.94 million total viewers in May.

MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” also made records as the 6 a.m. show broke 1 million viewers for the first time this month, Adweek reported.

President Donald Trump has gone after MSNBC recently, criticizing show hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough on Twitter in June, calling the program “poorly rated.”

I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017

…to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017

Lawrence O’Donnell’s “The Last Word” tied with Fox’s “Hannity” in the 25-54 category, but lost to the 10 p.m. rival in total viewers.

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