• MSNBC saw a 61% ratings surge following Donald Trump’s inauguration, with 1.3 million average primetime viewers, marking its largest audience since the 2024 election.
• "The Rachel Maddow Show" returned to a five-day schedule, averaging 1.7 million viewers and outperforming CNN’s primetime lineup.
• MSNBC attracted more independents and Republicans in January, signaling a potential shift in audience dynamics during Trump’s first week in office.

MSNBC experienced a massive 61% ratings increase following Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president. The week of January 20-24, marked by the highly anticipated event, saw the left-leaning network surge to its largest audience since the presidential election in November 2024. With 1.3 million average primetime viewers, MSNBC outpaced its previous three-week average of 799,000, showcasing a dramatic rebound.

Trump’s Inauguration Drives Viewership Growth

During the first week of Trump’s presidency, MSNBC captured 1.3 million average primetime viewers and 591,000 average total day viewers, according to Nielsen data. This growth marks a 39% increase in weekday primetime viewership compared to December and a 26% jump in total day audiences. These gains came as MSNBC provided nonstop coverage of Trump’s inauguration, key cabinet confirmation hearings, and his week-one executive orders.

Notably, MSNBC thrived during live coverage of January’s major political events, outperforming rival CNN during the cabinet hearings. MSNBC averaged 620,000 viewers compared to CNN’s 556,000. For the first time in network history, MSNBC’s primetime inauguration night viewership also surpassed CNN’s.

"The Rachel Maddow Show" Returns Strong

A major highlight was the return of MSNBC’s flagship program, "The Rachel Maddow Show," to a five-day schedule during Trump’s first 100 days. Maddow averaged 1.7 million viewers during her first week back, a significant boost compared to CNN’s “The Source with Kaitlan Collins,” which averaged only 745,000 viewers in the same time frame. Maddow’s show continues to anchor the network’s primetime ratings success.

MSNBC Captures More Independents and Republicans

Interestingly, MSNBC’s primetime lineup attracted nearly twice as many independents and Republicans as CNN’s during January, according to Nielsen/MRI fusion data. This could signal a shift in audience dynamics as viewers across the political spectrum tuned in to watch Trump’s early days in office. Additionally, the network regained significant momentum after its primetime audience was cut in half following the 2024 election.

Promising Rebound for MSNBC

The ratings surge represents a much-needed rebound for MSNBC. Post-election, the network’s primetime audience had dropped by 55%, while CNN declined 46.7% and Fox News grew by 10.7%. Network insiders had predicted viewership would recover after the inauguration, and their expectations proved correct. The return of political coverage and major national events appears to have reignited audience interest.

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