January 2011 Ratings: MSNBC Only Cable News Network to Show Growth

MSNBC beat CNN for the seventh consecutive month in January. Three weeks into the month, the network lost its biggest star in Keith Olbermann whose show was up +6% year-over-year, one of the few cable news programs to grow. Overall, MSNBC was the only cable news channel to grow year-over-year: +23% in Total Viewers and +25% in younger viewers (total day, Mon-Sun).

The new lineup of “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell,” “The Rachel Maddow Show” and “The Ed Show” all beat CNN during the first week on the air (Jan. 24-28).

MSNBC beat CNN for the 35th consecutive month at 8pmET. Maddow at 9pmET topped CNN in Total Viewers and younger viewers for the 12th consecutive month and “Morning Joe” topped CNN’s “American Morning” (which also lost a co-anchor) for the 11th consecutive month in Total Viewers, and for the 6th month in a row in younger viewers.

In their new time periods, “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” at 8 p.m. and “The Ed Show” at 10 p.m. each topped their competition on CNN for the week of January 24- January 28, 2011. Additional, “The Rachel Maddow Show” beat CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight” during the program’s highly publicized first two weeks on the air.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/january-2011-ratings-msnbc-only-cable-news-network-to-show-growth_b51098

Fox News Channel remained the #1 news channel in January, 2011. This marks FNC’s ninth anniversary at number one. The network overtook CNN in January 2002. The network was down -21% in Total Viewers and -31% in younger viewers compared to January 2010 (Total Day, Mon-Sun), which was a big month for cable news viewership due to the earthquake in Haiti.

A not so good month for the network’s 5pm show: “Glenn Beck” was down -40% in Total Viewers and down -50% in younger viewers vs. January 2010, and was the 5th most-watched FNC show.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/january-2011-ratings-fox-news-on-top-for-9-years-beats-msnbc-cnn-combined_b51100

While I appreciate that liberal-slanted news is beating the vanilla CNN, I still think the way KO was treated sucks ass.

It was titled MSNBC Primetime and featured the names/times for Chris Matthews, Lawrence O'Donnell, and Rachel Maddow.

No mention of Ed Schultz - nada... I've thought from the time KO left and this new lineup was announced, that Schultz was their next target. Not promoting his show is a slap in the face.

I agree with you I still think he is their next target. Ed speaks for the common working man/woman. I'm sure MSNBC is nervous about that, must not get the common man/woman all stirred up. It could lead to problems if they catch on to how they're being screwed over.

not to mention it's nearly all fluff with a RW spin on all the substance.

their time slots. Also Ed is on too late now IMO. I'm still pissed about KO gone and I have a hunch Ed will be the next target. Most of these cable news outfits are getting pretty tired IMO, I get more news off the Internet. Of course my top preference is MSNBC and I hope they do well, I'll do my part - turning MSNBC on now.

as it was well known MSNBC is generally the last news channel of the big three to be put on basic cable packages.