MSNBC’s new primetime program, The Briefing, hosted by former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, is facing an early ratings slump after just its second episode.
BREAKING: MSNBC’s primetime show “Inside with Jen Psaki” has experienced a significant decline in viewership since its debut. pic.twitter.com/255lryldlz
— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) May 9, 2025
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The show, which debuted this week in the network’s high-profile 9 p.m. slot, experienced a sharp decline in both total viewers and the key advertising demographic of adults aged 25 to 54.
According to Nielsen data reported by Fox News, Psaki’s second night on air drew just 65,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo, down from 139,000 the night before.
As expected, it’s clear why most anti Trump & Elon protesters are elderly. Democrats lost minorities and are now targeting seniors.
1st episode: 139,000 viewers ages 25-54, 1.1 million ages 55+
2nd episode: 65,000 viewers ages 25-54, 1 million ages 55+“On Tuesday, Psaki’s…
— Apple Lamps (@lamps_apple) May 9, 2025
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Overall viewership also dropped significantly, from 1.2 million viewers on night one to 1 million on night two.
The decline places The Briefing behind not only competing cable news programs but also behind syndicated reruns of sitcoms and children’s programming.
Shows like Friends, Seinfeld, and Paw Patrol reportedly outperformed Psaki’s program among younger adults.
MSNBC replaced Rachel Maddow with Jen Psaki bc they were losing viewers, and on her debut on Tuesday night, they lost (53%) more viewers 🤣🤣
Fake News is coming apart at tge seams, and it’s gonna be glorious to watch their demise pic.twitter.com/afn2ZD2N8h
— @Chicago1Ray 🇺🇸 (@Chicago1Ray) May 9, 2025
In comparison, Fox News’ Sean Hannity continued to lead in the 9 p.m. timeslot, pulling in 2.64 million total viewers and 312,000 viewers in the 25-54 demographic on Tuesday.
CNN, which has also struggled with primetime viewership in recent months, saw host Kaitlan Collins draw 75,000 viewers in the same demographic — still ahead of Psaki’s second night performance.
MSNBC had promoted Psaki’s show heavily, positioning it as the successor to The Rachel Maddow Show, which now airs only on Monday nights.
Psaki is scheduled to host the 9 p.m. hour from Tuesday through Friday.
When the program was announced, Rachel Maddow publicly praised Psaki, citing her experience and connections within Washington, D.C. as assets that would strengthen the show.
However, Maddow’s previous average of nearly 2 million viewers and consistent performance in the 25-54 demo far outpaces the early numbers for The Briefing.
Despite the disappointing start, Psaki has leaned into partisan themes on the show and in public statements.
In recent appearances, she described the potential for a second term for President Donald Trump as “the most dangerous presidency in my lifetime.”
She also expressed plans to spotlight left-leaning political figures such as Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) and Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow.
MSNBC has not yet commented on the early ratings performance or announced any changes to the show’s scheduling.
It remains unclear whether the network will make programming adjustments based on the initial reception or continue to invest in building Psaki’s primetime presence.
The Briefing is Psaki’s first nightly program since leaving the Biden-Harris administration in May 2022.
Prior to hosting the new show, she had been a contributor and Sunday show host for MSNBC.
The 9 p.m. slot remains one of the most competitive time blocks in cable news, with networks relying heavily on strong ratings to attract advertisers.
As of now, Psaki’s show is trailing behind longtime competitors and even legacy entertainment reruns in the metrics most valuable to networks and advertisers.
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