MSNBC Faces Major Ratings Drop, Top Host Ari Melber Considers Exit

MSNBC is experiencing a significant decline in viewership following a major reshuffle of its primetime lineup, with a 41 percent drop in the primetime demographic and a 34 percent decrease in total day ratings compared to the previous year. Jen Psaki, who took over Rachel Maddow's 9pm timeslot, has struggled to maintain viewers, with her show failing to reach one million viewers and lagging far behind Fox News' Sean Hannity. Similarly, the replacement panel show The Weeknight, which succeeded Joy Reid's canceled program, also saw substantially lower ratings, particularly in the key 25-54 demographic. Amid this turmoil, top anchor Ari Melber is reportedly considering leaving MSNBC, meeting with rival networks, or potentially starting his own media venture, as the network faces an exodus of key talent and ongoing programming challenges. Melber's show, The Beat, remains a ratings winner and performs well on YouTube, but his potential departure underscores the network's instability during a time of corporate restructuring and falling viewership. Additionally, other prominent MSNBC personalities, including Steve Kornacki, have left or shifted roles as the network confronts a broader talent shakeup and efforts to reverse its declining relevance.