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MSNBC has seen a significant drop in viewership since Vice President Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential election to former President Donald Trump on November 5. Among the hardest-hit programs is The Rachel Maddow Show, with the host coming under fire for her controversial commentary. 

According to Nielsen data, the Comcast-owned network’s audience is down 46% compared to the first ten months of the year, marking a historic post-election ratings dip.

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Rachel Maddow Gets Criticism 

Rachel Maddow stirred controversy during her weekly appearance on the liberal network by linking a suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson to Trump. 

The alleged killer, Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested on firearm charges Monday in Altoona, Pennsylvania, five days after Thompson was shot outside a Manhattan hotel.

Maddow speculated on-air that Mangione’s alleged admiration for the Unabomber might somehow tie into Trump’s rumored nominee for ATF Director, Blake Masters. 

“If it is him [Mangione], the fact that he's a professed Unabomber fan is unsettling. I might mention that it's even more unsettling that Donald Trump's reported choice to run the ATF is also a self-professed fan of the Unabomber,” Maddow said.

Maddow Under Fire from Social Media

The clip was quickly shared on social media by journalist Ken Klippenstein, who mocked Maddow for the tenuous connection.

Critics across the political spectrum slammed Maddow’s comments. One commenter described her as a “feeble unhinged loser,” while another said, “Everything leads back to [Trump] in her mind.”

One particularly frustrated viewer wrote: “SHE'S GOT TO GO! When are the Dems going to learn, no, Trump is not at fault for everything, including the weather! I hope the network fires this lying piece of yes, GARBAGE!”

Lester Dunham, a media commentator, added, “Maddow has become a total laughingstock, like much of the legacy media that just can't seem to accept the fact that people no longer care what they say because they've been caught in so many lies.”

Changing Media Landscape and Challenges

The backlash against Maddow comes as MSNBC grapples with a broader industry trend: the decline of cable TV subscriptions.

Nielsen reports that Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC are now available in 66 million pay-tv households, a sharp drop from 2016’s 92 million.

Meanwhile, Fox News has surged ahead in the ratings race, capturing a historic 70% share of the cable news audience in November. CNN has also struggled, with its viewership down 33% post-election.

A Shifting Audience Dynamic

Beyond ratings, viewers increasingly reject the polarizing narratives often pushed by pundits on both sides. Many are calling for more balanced coverage as traditional media outlets navigate an evolving and challenging landscape.