Rachel Maddow's Rant at MSNBC Bosses Backfires

Rachel Maddow’s outburst at MSNBC executives seems to have misfired dramatically, with the network losing five million viewers in a steep 22 percent ratings drop. Since Donald Trump’s election victory, The Rachel Maddow Show has seen its audience shrink from 2.3 million to 1.8 million viewers.

The decline was even sharper among the coveted 25-54 age group, where Maddow lost 29 percent—nearly a third—of the demographic advertisers prioritize, according to Fox News Digital. In the first two months of 2025, her viewership fell by 24 percent compared to the same period last year, suggesting audiences are losing interest now that Joe Biden is out of office.

Rachel Maddow

Despite the downturn, Maddow’s show still topped its time slot last Friday and most nights last week, except for Tuesday, when President Trump’s address to Congress outperformed her. 

The ratings collapse follows Maddow’s heated on-air clash with MSNBC’s new head, Rebecca Kutler, over the removal of Joy Reid and other “non-white” primetime hosts. The $25 million-a-year anchor called the moves “disturbing,” pointing to the demotions of Katie Phang, who is Asian American, and Jonathan Capehart, who is Black. Both will stay at MSNBC but in lower-profile roles. Maddow also labeled Reid’s exit a “bad mistake,” warning that sidelining these hosts would damage the network.

Media outlet Puck noted the irony of Maddow’s critique, given her hefty salary could fund a significant expansion of MSNBC’s staff. The network is cutting 125 producers—many tied to Maddow’s show—though it plans to rehire 110 for reassignment. 

Rebecca Kutler

Typically, The Rachel Maddow Show draws about 2.1 million viewers nightly. Under a $25 million annual contract, Maddow hosts just once a week, on Mondays, after taking a $5 million pay cut from her previous $30 million salary—a sum that could cover the wages of roughly 250 production staff per episode. She’s currently committed to covering the first 100 days of Trump’s second term, set to revert to her one-night schedule in April.

Some media insiders suggest Maddow’s antics may be wearing thin with her bosses. Puck pointed out that Reid’s slot will be filled by a diverse trio—Symone Sanders, who is Black, and Alicia Menendez, who is Hispanic—yet Maddow overlooked this in her accusations of racial bias.

Puck, describes Maddow’s viewers as “elderly.” This implies the majority of her audience skews older, likely 55+ or even 65+, though no precise age breakdown is given. This older cohort appears more loyal, as the overall decline (22-24%) is less severe than the 25-54 drop (29%), suggesting younger viewers are driving the exodus. The 24 percent loss in early 2025 (relative to early 2024) reinforces a continuing downward trend, potentially tied to broader fatigue with Maddow’s style or content now that the political landscape has shifted.