It’s likely cable news ratings will rebound somewhat in the new year, but the precipitous drop among young viewers in particular means we must find new ways to reach that audience
I haven't looked into it, but someone said that CNN was owned or operated by someone very conservative, and that this was affecting how they reported. I had always trusted them to be neutral and therefore helpfully informative, but now I don't know what to think. Can you shed any light on that?
Why look for the conspiracy theory when you can judge for yourself from their reporting? Does it really matter their motive? Just turn them off. The ultimate power is yours.
Anyone paying attention, has known that David Zaslav over a year ago when he bought debt ridden Warner Bros (which owned CNN) put Chris Licht in charge of improving the ratings at CNN attracting Fox viewers.Licht failed.
It would help if they actually reported NEWS!!!! I am sick of all the opinions and bullshit. Give the damn facts and stop sane washing that tangerine hitler.
I hope people understand that turning off the legacy media is one easy & immediate way to influence our current landscape. Legacy media have very much delivered the 🍊 to us again in 2024 through their lack of accurate reporting & sane washing the absolute bullshit being spewed on a daily basis.
I’m not watching cable news anymore. I don’t watch CNN (Scott Jennings can go fuck himself) and I feel betrayed by MSNBC. All the “Kamala’s making huge gains with this group or that group“ while ignoring what was really happening. The polls were close not because of polling errors. They blew it.
That's how I feel exactly. They kept talking about her running a flawless campaign and that the women will save us. All BS. I completely lost my trust in them. I'm looking at you, Nicolle, Rachel, and every guest you ever had.
For example, CNN had 117 million viewers and there are 250 million voting-eligible US persons, 90 million of whom did not vote, reportedly.
CNN has not "the reach" needed to get people to vote, even in a best case scenario. They actually do more damage than good with their messaging, apparently.
I vote. I don’t watch CNN’s news shows. I don’t watch right wing news shows either. I consume my news through media websites, and now this app. Ability to express views through the written word matters more to me than having a telegenic face spewing nonsense on camera.
Young ppl will never go back to cable, frankly they have created their own network of information. I have that on good authority from my 2 young adult children and their partners. I'm pretty fed, too. I'm sticking with Substack, @adamparkhomenko.bsky.social and @samyoungman.bsky.social .
another thing. I think we were all in a bubble. we were told what's coming & how bad it would be & just believed Americans would see that like in 2020 and 2022 & step up. They didn't. Bubble busted. What are we supposed to do now - just going back listening to the talking heads about his picks? no.
I stopped watching CNN a long time ago. Since the elections, I got tired of the MSNBC ongoing drama, repetition, and news exaggeration. In my opinion, they want people to be afraid, to be embedded into the negativity and hatred of the other side. Sorry, my world doesn't revolve around the media.
I’m not sure that’s it. I just don’t think there’s any good news these days. People have had enough bad news for a while and they know they can’t do anything about it.
When these MSM shows start having people panels like they did before the election with viewers like ME then I’ll start watching again. What do I care about? What does Dumph need to do for me? I’m the minority now right?!?! I THINK AND SPEAK COGENTLY and don’t believe in conspiracies.
It all boils down to who owns the Network and where the money profits go. When the journalist sell their soul because of money. Once the trust is gone it’s hard to get back.
Not me you just have to be selective on who you watch but of course that means you have to pay attention There is no better source for truth then the best on MSNBC Watch Nicole Wallace Rachel Maddow Lawrence O’Donnell Joy Reid Pay attention people
Gave up on CNN years ago when they jumped the shark. MSNBC has been tanking well before the election. Election night I shut them down for the last time. They can both get stuffed!
It actually has nothing to do with legacy media. It has everything to do with major disappointment in the election outcome. The only way to balanced mental health right now is to ignore the news. Trump is such a travesty and it’s hard to believe that half this country supported this narcissist.
I’m a retired old-school journalist. It’s time for anybody with writing skills and critical thinking to get to work flooding the airways with truth. I’m 67 now, unwell and tired, but I’m getting to work.
I think it worthy to explore the “why” the viewership has dropped. I don’t think it is due to a poor product, but due to the audience exhaustion after losing a hard-fought race in November. CNN & MSNBC will come back in time.
People are absolutely disgusted at their lack of journalistic integrity. No fact checking, no pursuit of the truth; a street preacher is just as reliable. Good riddance.
Unless they go full resistance to authoritarianism 24/7 I'm not going to watch anymore. I used to have MSNBC on almost all the time. Now I have classical music on instead.
Legacy media is owned by billionaires. From cable news to digital newspapers, the approach was the same. Present Trump as a viable candidate to get ratings and clicks. Use expert panels and editorials to incite conflict. Create doubt around the Democratic candidate. Invent a narrative.
Lately, I have been challenging my friends to tell me something they saw during a news broadcast that has had a material impact on their lives in the past week
The closest anyone has come is to tell me about the existential anxieties they have experienced
Considering their complete and total inability to confront the blatant horrors of the potential of the incoming Trump administration, I don't think anyone should be surprised.
They needed to have accountability, and they failed at every turn in their pursuit of ratings.
Many people don't 'watch' the News any more, except when something is happening 'live'. I think rather they look it up on websites, or get 'notifications' of it from apps like this one or others. Sadly, this means it can read like propaganda slogans - and that's not a good thing.
“Lost faith?” Not quite. When there was the clear possibility of dispatching the orange menace we were hooked on the daily dose of hope in that media drug. Now we are exercising self-care in avoiding the overwhelming nausea that 24-7 “Trump will be President again” brings.
I was disgusted by the election and I couldn’t stand to hear Trump, Trump, Trump all day long. Now it’s “Breaking News” Pete Hegseth all day. Sick of listening to it. And I remember when Breaking New really meant something.
The Propaganda Decade plus op worked
w the help of the Murdoch & many Billionaires Foreign Interests CONservative Right wing buy ups of our Nations news media communications
They have supported the orange man through this whole ordeal! Dems make one misstep and get crucified and orange they just gloss over and normalize. Makes sense since owned by billionaires who want to keep the tax benefits. Support @briantylercohen.bsky.social @meidastouch.com
We gave up the morning shows it was just not worth watching when you couldn’t believe a single thing on it
But we have been watching it for about a week an hour at a time
Have they lost faith or are sane, responsible people just so stunned and sad and stressed over election results & the horrible picks for high positions that they have temporarily stopping looking at news? (doesn't include fox, which is just propaganda)
The unfortunate thing about this is that a lot of people cannot pay for their news so they turn to legacy media which will now only be right wing propaganda. How do we fight against that?
Those shitbags did everything they could to get their golden goose back into the White House, and now they want to sell Democracy Dies in Darkness again.
While I agree that CNN and MSNBC have tanked, it doesn't necessarily mean folks have switched to Fox. It means that Fox now has 62% of a vastly reduced viewing audience. Folks just aren't watching ANYthing any more. Too freaking depressing!
The viewership of Fox Lies and Shit being up just reinforces my already strong feeling that America is dead to me. I want to leave and hope that I can find an alternative and get a visa.
To be fair, some of us quit because we couldn't stand to hear any news. I never gave up Rachel Maddow and am finding my way back to the news as my emotions bounce back from disaster. And I'm reaching out to alternative sources, as well, following people I learned to trust from MSNBC.
44 years ago —June 1, 1980: CNN launched the first 24-hour news cycle. Legacy news as we knew it (30-minute broadcasts on 3 networks) died that day and became entertainment.
Exactly! Hence the situation we are in now. 🍊🤡 provided more than enough drama to keep the storyline running. I’m not watching this season. Going to keep informed but not by them.
Rightly so. Legacy media went full on capitalism/learned that customers will stop buying what they’re selling. At some point you can’t rely on brand name.👀
A vast number of those absent viewers simply don’t want to hear any news right now. People who are trying to use this to claim as distrust are either dishonest or incapable of linear or critical thinking. Don’t buy their nonsense
It is no wonder that we have a post truth world when the the top 14 shows are Fox and the top news by far is Fox. 784M for lying about voting machines was a great bet. The penalty for the Smartmatic suit has to be large enough to get their attention. Maybe 25B would be a good starting point.
No many feel no need right now to follow political news daily, he’ll hourly. We don’t have an election or anything we can do to make change right now. We need a break. It has nothing to do with which media network or format.
Why would I watch the news and listen to overwrought analysis when I know the actual experts in any given field (like you, with respect) will immediately take to a platform like Bluesky and tell us exactly what we need to know and why in real time?
I don't know how much of it is a lack of faith, some I'm sure. But I know so many who have told me that they immediately stopped watching the news after the election because they can't bear to watch. They can't watch what this despicable person is going to do to our country.
I don't disagree but people's mental health can't be disregarded. They fought like hell to prevent Trump from getting in and lost. There is little that can be done now for the average voter. This is what the country wants.
Yes, they will find out. Some they will hate but I think liberals underestimate how much they will actually like. I understand those who cannot watch this POS destroy the country. MAGA loves to make the libs suffer. The libs I know are done playing the game.
I think many of us are making the switch to independent media like MeidasTouch etc. I’m truly grateful for Blue Sky and love being with like minded pro democracy people who really care about our democratic Republic. I’ve had it with legacy media. The normalized a vile buffoon.
Interesting because conventional wisdom was that Trump is good for ratings so media wanted him to win even though he was threatening them. Maybe he is repelling viewers instead.
Their ratings are cratered not because of trust. Their ratings cratered because most, Iike me, turned them off on that disgraceful election night and haven’t put them on since. We can’t endure another 4 years of chaos under Trump so we will just ignore it.
Mainstream media has lost the ability in providing in-depth reporting and maintaining journalistic standards. The appeal with digital media is that its interactive.
They have lost all credibility. I hadn't watched CNN since the Biden/Trump debate with coverage that was so bad it was embarrassing. I watched CNN yesterday for 5 minutes and had to turn it off. The experts they paraded added no value and the arrogance made me sick.
I wonder why? I can barely watch MSNBC anymore. The hot takes from Andrea, Katy, & Chris have made a huge chunk of the day unwatchable. I stopped watching Morning Joe years ago; thank god, based on that tantrum I’ve seen. Nicolle is the only thing worth watching. And some weekend shows.
Failing to report accurately, honestly and completely would be a good start. You all failed and are still failing. You've lost me, and I'm finding much better alternatives.
CNN is owned by someone I do not share views with and I’ve noticed changes in their coverage. The hosts let maga republicans say stupid things without calling them on it. I refuse to watch them anymore.
Once you know that "legacy media" (real name Corporate Bragging) was bought and controlled by the very people that want "the poors" to be fully controlled and suffer. It makes more sense.
They only provide opinions not news. This why o stopped watching them. If they go back to giving news without their useless commentary they might have chance.
Real people don't tolerate bullsht. Life's too short to be a whiney asshole. DO better DJT. Guess you want to be last on the Presidential list. You don't get points for taking credit for Obama/Biden and next 2 Biden/Harris economic marvels, But do for tanking thriving economies, bringing in a plague
I think people are just in political shock and avoiding news. Once we get back to looking to the future, people will tune in. Otherwise, it’s just depressing.
I don't necessarily believe it's that people have lost faith in the media as much as...a lot of people have no energy for this round of political instability and are tuning out to focus on their own lives. Watching cable news feels helpless and I have no reason to tune in.
You have no reason to tune in because you recognize pablum when you see it. You must stay on top of news; just change the sources from which you get it.
Exactly. I watch 1/4 of the news now because I'm burned out on it. It has nothing to do with who I was watching. When I do feel the need for some news, I'll tune back into CNN and the other news sources that I was following. BTW, I do feel the need to follow some news from Syria today.
Yes…but is cable News the best way to get News on Syria?
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been more deliberate in my news consumption. Reading articles instead of passively watching political commentary, which i feel is most of what those cable networks are.
I stopped watching for the most part because I couldn't bear to see their takes on the scenarios of what is to come, when my head was already doing that job for me and the worry and despair is already too much. Losing hope is not an option, and yet the media seems to only strip it further.
Maybe MSNBC should stop trying to be Fox-light by appealing mostly to ex-Republicans and start being what we need: a loud messenger to push back against a quickly spreading right-wing media empire.
yes. I was distressed to see too much of ex republicans even though I've come to trust Jolly. Appreciate the ex republicans that stood up against trump that were in his admin as well.
Yes and Democrats cannot save our democracy alone. We have got to find commonalities with republicans we know on non-political stuff if we can - at least at local levels - or we’re doomed.
It’s like watching replays of your team getting stomped in the playoffs when they were favored.
No one is going to watch that. Especially when it’s that smug f er Joe Scarborough. 🤔🤓
If MSNBC and CNN want to regain market share they have to cover Trump in a way that Trump won’t like, honestly. That’s the problem…they are both trying to curry favor with the incoming administration and it’s obvious. People can see through it and they do not like it at all.
Some in MSNBC and all in CNN! The biggest losers MSNBC Morning Jokers Mitchell Jansing Tur Melber
I stand by these unafraid MSNBC truthers…
Nicolle Wallace
Lawrence O’Donnell
Rachel Maddow
Alicia Menendez
Katie Phang
Chris Hayes
Stephanie Ruhle
I am among the lost viewers. I stopped watching CNN when they hosted the town hall for trump. And then apparently their anchor were instructed to turn right. MSNBC never let up on the Trump show. Its clear that even though they were aimed left, it was still driven by Trump. Can't watch it anymore.
I mean it makes sense. This was their chance to actually do what reporters are supposedly known for: standing up, revealing corruption, having values, being brave. We saw in real time as they sane-washed the felon-in-chief over and over. They don't deserve funding or trust. It's over.
You have to go to independent news. They are still doing that. Stream https://freespeech.org. Guarantee you will not see Gaza coverage like that on legacy, corporate news.
Don't forget some need to cleanse ourselves of the loss of the election to revive & fight again. Not watched media since a wk before election & know for a fact there are MANY others like me. The sight/sound of rump & cohorts is vomitous. So factor that in. PBS Newshour was a go-to broadcast news.
It’s Corporate Media. Follow the money. I now read various substacks and listen to various podcasts. Only people I trust to be sane, honest, and truly informed.
I would love to know if a lot of the MSNBC viewers are migrating to FOX. Or is it a coincidence that with MSNBC/CNN ratings cratering, FOX viewership is growing? I just can't imagine anyone with an MSNBC mindset tolerating faux news.
I was in junior high during the Gulf War. CNN was on all the time in the library via a projector TV (wonder how much that cost back then?!). Teachers would even cancel class & take us there to watch the Reality TV War. I hated it. Knew something was deeply perverse making infotainment out of war.
It was always blaring too btw. Could hear it in the hall, & when I tried to study in the library after school, as I liked to do, all I'd hear was endless drivel commentary to fill up the hours: "We heard a frog fart over here, we now go to War Expert to explain what this means about Saddam's plans".
How ironic. In an attempt to prevent being destroyed by the incoming authoritarian regime, legacy media kissed the ring and ultimately destroyed themselves.
I don’t fault MSNBC at all. I’ve always marveled at the quality of their guest presenters and the preparedness of the hosts.
I never fell for morning Joe.
I took him to be a joe roganish ego mouth.
But the afternoon and evening hosts amazed me and I will continue watching.
Rightfully so. Who is going to trust people who had an obligation to read the big picture and sound the alarm? Screw the myth of being impartial. They saw what was before them and chose to play it safe. Now we will all pay the price.
I haven't lost faith in Maddow or Hayes or wagner or O'Donnell. I just can't watch their deep dives right now for my own mental health. I will switch back at some point. I don't expect them to fix our problems. They do a good, honest job of reporting on them though.
Agreed. I think there was a difference btwn CNN and MSNBC. MSNBC tried through the end. I felt like CNN turned on Democrats at the worst possible time.
I stopped watching CNN the moment the Republicans took charge and they did a hard turn to appease & legitimise the republicans on shows amplifying their crazy voices.
Now sadly stopped with MSNBC after years of following because the moment Morning Joe kissed the ring I knew it was happening there
Velshi is great. Love him. I think Wallace is good s well but her sometimes rosy comments about Republicans during her time in the party make my blood boil. Her analysis of Trump is great but she needs to admit that the seeds for this were planted long ago in her former party.
I take your point on Wallace and agree, but her fierce criticisms of today’s Republicans and Trump, and her laser focus on the autocracy to come is unusual even for most of MSNBC. It makes her must watch TV most days for me.
Didn't lose faith in media. Losing to trump hurts. Our future hurts. I can't watch as much right now for my mental health. MSNBC are
MY peeps ❤️ I kinda worried about all of them. I want them safe.
Makes sense. I’m one who has limited my MSNBC to Lawrence and sometimes Katie. There are many reasons as to why, most covered by others in this or other threads.
That’s really sad and think the country belongs to trump & fox. We’ve lost our way & democracy. If MSNBC goes black I’ll turn off cable & divorce myself from this country. No tv or fake news but music & books & peace & let USA destroy itself.
People are fed up. We are not given lots of important news, or important things Biden was doing - it was all trump, trump, trump and we have had enough of that! Plus, no one wants to listen to trump trump trump AGAIN, 3rd segment of how he is destroying the country.
I still watch sometimes and record Maddow, but for quite awhile, even before election, I was watching the Democratic rallies more than listening to MSNBC every day. Quit CNN mostly long ago.
Comments
https://www.vox.com/2022/8/26/23322761/cnn-john-malone-david-zaslav-chris-licht-brian-stelter-fox-peter-kafka-column
CNN has not "the reach" needed to get people to vote, even in a best case scenario. They actually do more damage than good with their messaging, apparently.
Just fade away.
You can do better than legacy, MSM.
The closest anyone has come is to tell me about the existential anxieties they have experienced
They needed to have accountability, and they failed at every turn in their pursuit of ratings.
w the help of the Murdoch & many Billionaires Foreign Interests CONservative Right wing buy ups of our Nations news media communications
But we have been watching it for about a week an hour at a time
Fuck. That.
That pretty much sums it up...
Get your news from independent sources. Podcast. https://freespeachtv.org. Etc.
Their popularity should be right up there with pollsters.
Cable news, with the exception of REAL BREAKING NEWS, exists to keep you occupied until the next set of commercials.
Please. 🙄
The "talking heads" model is passe.
Repeating the same crap ad nauseam.
Whatever happened to "news."
And more people should stop watching these channels.
Those ratings need to fall a lot farther.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been more deliberate in my news consumption. Reading articles instead of passively watching political commentary, which i feel is most of what those cable networks are.
I still don’t have a taste for cable
And it may already be too late save us.
No one is going to watch that. Especially when it’s that smug f er Joe Scarborough. 🤔🤓
Haven’t watched one minute of the news on MSM since the election. And I was a news junkie up until then.
I blame the media for where we are.
MSNBC was the No. 2.... Among A25-54 viewers, the network attracted 161,000 viewers in primetime and 91,000 viewers during total day.
There are 150 million voters. An immeasurable portion of the voter base.
Actions have consequences, chickenshits.
I stand by these unafraid MSNBC truthers…
Nicolle Wallace
Lawrence O’Donnell
Rachel Maddow
Alicia Menendez
Katie Phang
Chris Hayes
Stephanie Ruhle
Meidas Touch and Anthony Davis are two fine examples.
I can’t do it, wasted 9 years watching.
I did turn the page.
I’m not going back.
Well, those viewers who are left, anyway
I never fell for morning Joe.
I took him to be a joe roganish ego mouth.
But the afternoon and evening hosts amazed me and I will continue watching.
Now sadly stopped with MSNBC after years of following because the moment Morning Joe kissed the ring I knew it was happening there
That title goes, for better or worse, to what was once called alternative media.
Regrettably, many young people get their news from TikTok, podcasts, and other online channels.
Yet these do not have the same standards.
MY peeps ❤️ I kinda worried about all of them. I want them safe.
Fux News went up tho? 🙄
Stick with fox