The question of whether MSNBC can recover from its dramatic post-election viewership collapse might seem urgent to some, but for Comcast, it’s already a moot point. The media giant has made it abundantly clear with its recent decision to spin off NBCUniversal’s cable networks—including MSNBC—that the faltering network is no longer a concern it needs to bear. With cable television in long-term decline and its value diminishing by the day, Comcast’s move signals that it’s ready to move on from the traditional TV business altogether.
Comcast’s plan to spin off a bundle of its cable channels—including USA, Oxygen, Syfy, E!, and the Golf Channel—into a separate public company is a direct response to the crumbling fortunes of traditional television. The future, it seems, is in streaming, not in linear TV. But of all the cable properties Comcast will part with, none has been in such dire straits as MSNBC. Once a dominant player in progressive media, the network now finds itself grappling with a viewer exodus and mounting credibility issues. As Comcast sheds its cable portfolio, one has to wonder if the company’s media division—sans MSNBC—wouldn’t be more attractive to investors.
For MSNBC, the post-election crash has been nothing short of catastrophic. Viewership has dropped a staggering 53% since Election Day, a sudden plummet that reflects the network’s inability to pivot from its 2020 narrative. After years of fixating on Trump’s presidency and elevating figures like Kamala Harris, the network’s audience is now fleeing in droves. On November 11, MSNBC hit its lowest 25-54 demographic ratings in 23 years, a stark contrast to its peak during the 2020 election cycle. Meanwhile, Fox News continues to dominate the cable news landscape, attracting an average of 2.23 million viewers, compared to MSNBC’s paltry 557,000.
Even when MSNBC attempted a reset with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski’s controversial visit to Mar-a-Lago, the backlash was swift and severe. The hosts, who had spent years demonizing Trump, tried to recast their relationship with him, but the audience wasn’t buying it. Viewership plunged dramatically during the show’s coverage of their visit, with ratings dropping 17% in the 7-8 a.m. hour, and the key 25-54 demographic plummeting by a staggering 38%. For a network whose ratings depend on stirring political passion, it seems the audience is tired of the drama—and the hypocrisy.
But the challenges facing MSNBC extend beyond ratings. The network is also embroiled in an ethics scandal involving prominent host Al Sharpton. The controversy centers around Sharpton’s softball interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, following a $500,000 donation from Harris’s campaign to Sharpton’s nonprofit. This undisclosed financial relationship has raised serious ethical questions, with some observers accusing MSNBC of engaging in what could legally be construed as payola—an illegal practice involving the exchange of money for promotional content. In a time when viewers are increasingly skeptical of the integrity of the media, this scandal has the potential to erode what little trust remains in the network.
For Comcast, MSNBC’s credibility crisis might be the final straw. The company’s decision to part ways with its cable TV properties is a clear acknowledgment that the old media model is no longer sustainable. The rise of streaming services like Netflix, YouTube TV, and Hulu has rendered traditional cable offerings obsolete, and Comcast is eager to offload the baggage of declining viewership and controversies like those surrounding MSNBC. The real question now is whether the network can regain its footing, or if its once-prominent role in American media is truly over.
In the end, Comcast’s decision to abandon the cable market seems to suggest that they’re not too concerned about the fate of MSNBC. If the network’s fortunes continue to slide, Comcast will simply wash its hands of the situation. For investors, the question is no longer whether MSNBC can rebound, but whether any buyer will be interested in taking on a network that’s mired in ethical issues, sinking viewership, and a divisive political agenda. At this point, MSNBC may be the elephant in the room that everyone is eager to ignore.
As traditional media companies like Comcast look to divest from the cable TV business, the future of MSNBC remains uncertain. Whether or not it can recover from its viewership collapse—and the ethical questions now swirling around it—is a question for its new owners. But for Comcast, it’s clear: MSNBC’s troubles are no longer their problem.
