Rachel Maddow’s rant at MSNBC bosses backfires spectacularly as her ratings slump

Rachel Maddow’s rant at MSNBC bosses appears to have backfired spectacularly as five million viewers fled the news program in a massive 22 per cent ratings slump.

The Rachel Maddow Show dropped from 2.3 million viewers to 1.8 million viewers since the election of President Donald Trump won the election.

The star did even worse with younger viewers aged 25-54, losing 29 percent – or almost one third – of the group advertisers care about most, as reported by Fox News.

She lost a quarter of her audience, or 24 percent, in the first two months of 2025 compared to the same time last year – showing viewers are tuning out now that Joe Biden is no longer president.

Despite the overall decline, Maddow’s show still managed to win its time slot last Friday and most nights last week, only losing out on Tuesday when President Trump delivered his address to the joint session of Congress.

This ratings disaster comes after Maddow had an angry meltdown with network bosses over the ousting of Joy Reid and other ‘non-white’ hosts.

The $25 million a year host erupted at MSNBC’s new boss Rebecca Kutler live on air, saying it was ‘disturbing’ that ‘non-white hosts in primetime were losing their shows.’

Katie Phang, who is Asian American and Jonathan Capehart, who is black, lost their primetime shows too.

Both will remain at the network, but in less high-profile roles.

Rachel Maddow’s rant at MSNBC bosses has appeared to backfire spectacularly as her ratings slump

This ratings disaster comes after Maddow had an angry meltdown with network bosses recently regarding the ousting of Joy Reid other ‘non-white’ hosts

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Maddow also said it was a ‘bad mistake’ to let Reid walk out the door, claiming the firing or demotion of her hosts would hurt the network.

Influential media newsletter Puck highlighted how Maddow’s own enormous salary could help expand MSNBC’s ranks considerably.

The network is laying off 125 producers- many of whom work on Maddow’s show – but will rehire 110 of them.

Her program, The Rachel Maddow Show, typically reaches around 2.1 million viewers a night.

Maddow struck a $25 million a year deal which only saw her required to host one show a week, on Monday night.

She agreed to take a $5 million pay cut last year, lowering her massive salary from $30 million to $25 million – which would still equal to the combined earnings of at least 250 production staff who make each of her evening shows possible.

She agreed to cover the first 100 days of the Trump presidency after he won his second term in office and will return to her one shift a week role in April.

And while her ratings are good, media insiders have suggested Maddow may be starting to try her bosses’ patience.

Puck highlighted how Reid’s replacement will be a trio made up of Symone Sanders, who is black and Alicia Menendez, who is Hispanic.

Maddow made no mention of this ethnic diversity while implying her bosses are racist.

The newsletter added that Maddow’s viewers, most of whom are elderly, either had no idea what she was talking about or found it boring if they did.

She agreed to take a $5 million pay cut last year, lowering her massive salary from $30 million to $25 million – which would still equal the combined earnings of at least 250 production staff who make each of her evening shows possible.

Maddow hits out at MSNBC’s ‘indefensible’ Joy Reid canceling

Even her fellow liberals called on her to resign after.

Bluesky users were quick to call on Maddow to put her money where her mouth is and resign, or risk looking like a hypocrite spouting hot air.

‘Rachel Maddow will have to resign from MSMBC (and leave $ on the table),’ one user wrote this week, months after Maddow secured her five-year re-up.

‘She won’t be able to maintain credibility on that platform,’ the liberal onlooker went on.

‘I hope she creates a true progressive network. America needs new media channels and she is the star.’

‘So, resign if you’re so outraged,’ another more impatient user remarked, paving the way for an even more full-throated request from another angered progressive.

‘The only appropriate response to this development from WHITE LIBERAL/LEFTISTS who CLAIM to oppose the Re-Segregation of the Country is to PROVE IT by abandoning ALL the mainstream media networks,’ they wrote.

‘[N]ot to keep watching them for your beloved white faves.