BREAKING NEWS – New York City, New York – Both CNN and MSNBC are closing 2022 in unsettled or struggling states at 9 p.m. ET, historically seen as the tentpole for the entire primetime lineup. The hour is historically prime real estate for any network.
CNN averaged 183,000 demo viewers at 9 p.m. ET in 2022 compared to 327,000 in 2021 and the network is on pace to wrap up 2022 with its lowest-rated year of all time in the critical category.
Over on MSNBC, Maddow, the network’s biggest star, decided earlier this year to dial back her workload and only host the 9 p.m. hour on Mondays. Her network along with CNN, tried to lure hosts and producers from top rated Fox to come and join them, but all of the people they reached out to at Fox, rejected their requests while simultaneously laughing and vomiting.