MSNBC Losing Viewers At 9 & 11pm

[CatWoman]

Today's primetime schedule shift at MSNBC is designed, at least in part, to shore up the channel's ratings. Look at the year-over-year slippage:

Since the Situation premiered on June 13, it has averaged 201,000 viewers, and 82,000 in the 25-54 demographic. By way of comparison: The 9pm hour on MSNBC, between June 14 and July 28, 2004, averaged 353,000 viewers, and 109,000 in the demo. That's a 43% decrease in total viewership between 2004 and 2005.

The Situation isn't any better at 11pm: The repeat of Hardball has averaged 194,000 viewers between June 14 and July 28, down from 350,000 during the same time period in 2004 -- a 45% decrease.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/default.asp

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Surprise, surprise.

Do ya s'pose it's because Tucker Carlson is a boring twit who tries to be cool and hip but comes across as a total dork?

[Shoeempress]

2. Guess it is time for #ucker Carlson to pack his bow tie and go home.

[Oreo]

3. Hardball only has 194,000 viewers?

You really have to wonder why they don't do a show that tells the real truth and see how that does? Keith Olberman comes close but I'm looking for the antithesis of FOX like a cleaner more polished Democracy Now.

What do they have to lose?

[charlie]

19. They did

It got consistently better ratings than Hardball. They axed it after only 6 months.

It was Phil Donohue's show.

[napi21]

4. Hey, we told them hiring that bow tie idiot was a mistake!

I've actually had him on (while reading threads on UD) because there just wasn't anything on TV at all! But the only decent one on the show is the girl who argues with Tucker all the time. Sorry, don't pay enough attention to even know her name!

[Oreo]

10. Rachel Maddow

http://shows.airamericaradio.com/maddow/

Rachel Maddow hosts Air America Radio's national morning drive news program, "The Rachel Maddow Show." Launched in April 2005, "The Rachel Maddow Show" airs weekdays 5AM-6AM (Eastern) on dozens of Air America Radio stations, as well as nationally online and on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio.
Rachel has a Doctorate in Politics from Oxford University and a degree in Public Policy from Stanford. She was the first openly gay American to win a Rhodes Scholarship.
Her background is in commercial radio (WRSI, WRNX) and political activism.
Prior to launching "The Rachel Maddow Show," Rachel co-hosted Air America's "Unfiltered" with Chuck D and Lizz Winstead.
Perhaps more importantly, Rachel knows how to make a Pegu Club Cocktail, enjoys appearing on right-wing TV shows as the smiling-but-obstinate liberal, loves her parents, and thinks AMTRAK hot dogs are a national treasure.
She lives in Western Massachusetts and New York City, with her partner, artist Susan Mikula, and their outstanding dog.

[Bill McBlueState]

22. she's on "all the time"?

Wow, I thought it was only a one-time appearance. Maybe I should watch from time to time. I listened to Rachel before she made it big in New York City!*

*to be said with an old-timey air of fascination with NYC.

[annabanana]

11. She is Rachel Maddow

and she is wonderful

[CatWoman]

5. Tucker will be moving to 11 p.m. on August 8

"Hard-Hitting, No-Nonsense" Rita Cosby Premieres August 8 On MSNBC

"Rita Cosby: Live and Direct," premiering August 8 at 9pm on MSNBC, "will be a hard-hitting, no-nonsense news program that brings viewers stories they won't see anywhere else," this morning's press release says. "Cosby, a tireless and passionate journalist, is known for securing the most sought-after interviews. Each night, "Live and Direct" will deliver compelling stories, intriguing guests and Cosby's hands-on, won't-take-no-for-an-answer reporting."

> Rick Kaplan says: "Rita is a tenacious, seasoned journalist who continually breaks big news stories."

> Angie Dorr is the executive producer.

> TVNewser first reported the name of the show a couple of weeks ago.
**********************************************************************
Carlson's Situation Moves To Late-Night

"MSNBC will be the only cable news network to offer viewers six hours of first-run primetime programming" when The Situation with Tucker Carlson moves to 11pm on August 8. (Rita Cosby will anchor at 9pm.)

"I'm thrilled to extend MSNBC's primetime programming to midnight," Rick Kaplan says in this morning's press release. "The fast-paced style of 'The Situation' is best suited for a late night audience."

MSNBC will be offering West Coast viewers a live program at 8pm while the other networks air reruns. The announcement is a win for Carlson, who had campaigned for an 11pm show at CNN before moving to MSNBC. Expect a tweaked Situation to adopt a slightly looser style in late-night...

[Oreo]

14. I have one thing to say about that

:puke:

[RamboLiberal]

15. The Disappearance of Natalie Holloway in Aruba Day xx

That's probably what Crosby will cover. I'm getting curious how long these jerks on cable will stick with this non-story. What day will they give up if no body is found or no arrests or trial takes place?

Sorry for the family but the only place this should've been a story is in the girl's hometown and on Aruba.

[Maru Kitteh]

16. Hard hitting news you won't see anyplace else......

Hmmmm.... I doubt it.

More likely to be the same old rehash with a slightly "bitchy" edge.

[annabanana]

18. what a load of twaddle

"Rita Cosby will be a hard-hitting, no-nonsense news program that brings viewers stories they won't see anywhere else,".................... "Cosby, a tireless and passionate journalist, is known for securing the most sought-after interviews. Each night, "Live and Direct" will deliver compelling stories, intriguing guests and Cosby's hands-on, won't-take-no-for-an-answer reporting."

Who the hell writes this stuff? Is there some kind of prose machine that puts out this crap?

[Oreo]

33. The same people that wrote

that stupid ass commercial for *ucker and his show where he daydreams about a starsky and hutch type thing.

I think Tucker would wet himself if he got into a situation any more volatile than a cat being stuck in a tree.

[RamboLiberal]

24. Up against The Daily Show

Can you say Bye Bye, Tucker? I knew you could!

[Ian David]

26. They're really putting him up against Jon Stewart and Al Franken??

Are they insane????

Not to mention local news...

The sad thing is, his show is a brilliant format.

Instead of harping on a single talking-point for 20 minutes, they go through practically a speed-reading of as many GOP talking-points as they can in an hour.

[qanda]

27. Rita Cosby?

Is she another right-wing shill?

[seabeyond]

6. i was a customer, they ignored me, i left

looks like with htousands of others too. bet if they started showing the news instead of a bunch of lazy peoples opinions, they would increase viewership

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Imagine that and FOX is loosing people like

a bad dream too... unfrigging unbelievable that they have not figured this out yet

[clover]

8. tucker's little pocket

next time you see a promo for the "fastest" show on teevee--and look quick b/c i hope it's history--


check out the end shot of tucker standing full frame
zoom in on his left hand
which is jiggling coins in his pocket like all of our icky uncles--if you are old like me--

this is the gesturing of a boy playing man

i want to send him to his room where he will undress his GIJoes
little creep

[RamboLiberal]

9. Keith Olbermann's Countdown is the Star of the MSNBC Lineup

When Keith is on it has the highest # of viewers on MSNBC - and note it goes up against O' Reilly.

Moving Tucker to 11PM is a sign of desparation for MSNBC.

For this viewer I used to watch Hardball at 11PM but gave that up for the most part after the election. I got sick of Tweety's mostly butt kissing Bush and Repukes.

I usually watch The Daily Show and will switch to Lou Dobbs if DS is a repeat or has a crappy guest.

At Midnight if I haven't caught it at 8 it's Countdown!

I predict it will be goodbye Tucker in a before '06. MSNBC was stupid in the first place to have hired him. He's got no talent!

Anyone know if they're leaving the repeat of Countdown at Midnight? I hope the idiots don't move it.

And what the hell was Tweety doing working all week when his father died earlier in the week? I know everyone deals with that in a different way, but most of us take a few days off.

[Kraklen]

12. What's with the crazy guy who yells about the stock market?

That's MSNBC, right?

What the hell were they thinking?

[Oreo]

17. Batshitcrazy

That guy is a joke. It's CNBC. Yeah... I'd listen to him :spray:

[The_Casual_Observer]

13. The guy is embarrassing to watch. He desperately tries to make

things exciting. However, he is simply rehashing the days rw talking points and stale news items for the 10th time of the day. He always has that stupid little retro patio light behind his head too.

[SmokingJacket]

20. This is wrong, I know, but I feel sorry for him.

After Jon Stewart slapped him down, he and his bowtie were done.

He can't very well take the tie off; that would mean that Stewart won. But leaving it on -- along with his spoiled-boy hairdo -- just makes him look dumber and lamer.

Poor assclown.

[Ian David]

21. But Olberman's still doing well, yes?

Maybe Tucker Carlson would fare better if he followed a show about puppets making crank phonecalls?

Let's see, what's Carlson up against tonight?

Frontline
Veronica Mars
Dateline NBC
Nature
Reba
Arrested Development
Made
The Surreal Life
King of The Hill
Dr. 90210
Law & Order: SVU
America Chopper
Hannity and Clueless
Larry King
Sci-fi Friday! Firefly! Stargate SG-1! Stargate Atlantis! Battlestar Galactica!

[RamboLiberal]

23. Most nights especially if Keith is on the show

Countdown has the highest number of viewers on MSNBC. Scarbourough is usually 2nd, I think Tweety is losing viewers.

I think a lot of people who watch The Daily Show also watch Countdown.

[Ian David]

29. I know. Countdown seems to be fairly popular here, too.

I'm going to put a poll about it in GD.

brb.

[LSK]

25. its not an election year, so of course the #s will go down n/t

[RamboLiberal]

28. BTW I think viewers have grown disgusted with Spitball

The repeat of Hardball has averaged 194,000 viewers between June 14 and July 28, down from 350,000 during the same time period in 2004 -- a 45% decrease.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/default.asp

Looks like a lot of people are sick of Tweety's brown nosing!

[dbonds]

30. I had much rather see a REAL new show than another opinion show.

How many talk shows can there possibly be? They have to tell us what we should be thinking about the news - while not actually telling us the news. A novel idea, a news channel giving us news. There should be some FTC/FCC requirement to call yourself a news program.

[The Night Owl]

31. Bring back Phil Donahue!

[Ian David]

32. Poll: Do you watch Countdown, The Daily Show, Both, or Neither?

Poll: Do you watch Countdown, The Daily Show, Both, or Neither?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4221162

[LibertyorDeath]

34. Wikipedia has him sounding almost tolerable LOL

I've seen him in action so I know better.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucker_Carlson

While vocalizing conservative views, Carlson has not hesitated periodically to level criticism at fellow conservatives. Carlson has been a harsh critic of conservative activist Grover Norquist, for instance, calling Norquist a "mean-spirited, humorless, dishonest little creep ... an embarrassing anomaly, the leering, drunken uncle everyone else wishes would stay home... is repulsive, granted, but there aren't nearly enough of him to start a purge trial."<1>

Carlson also has said that he is not "particularly anti-drug," and that, while he reluctantly supported the Iraq War at the outset, he reversed his position after traveling to Baghdad to report for Esquire. Upon his return, he expressed his disgust with the war and his shame with himself for supporting it earlier. "I think it's a total nightmare and disaster, and I'm ashamed that I went against my own instincts in supporting it," he said. "I want things to work out, but I'm enraged by it, actually."

Carlson has significant libertarian views, such as support for limited government, personal liberty (as with the aforementioned illicit drugs), and the power of the free market.

[darkism]

35. When I compare Tucker to the RW-lunatics on cable...

...he's actually quite tolerable. I can stand his show, and it's even more entertaining when he and that shrew Monica Crowley have their asses handed to them by Rachel Maddow.

Go ahead and flame me; I don't really mind Tucker that much. He seems to have more sense than a lot of blind RW-maniacs like Hannity and O'Rielly...and he has the courage to have REAL liberals on his show.

[Bouncy Ball]

36. It seems like all the cable news channels are losing viewership

at a pretty alarming rate (alarming for them, that is).

I've seen numbers like this for CNN, FUX, et al.

Good. Hopefully more and more people are getting turned off to the corporate propaganda channels.

[lonestarnot]

37. Sink sink sink, but for KO!