Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki is facing an uphill battle in her transition to primetime television. Just two months after launching The Briefing on MSNBC, viewership numbers suggest the show is struggling to gain traction with audiences.
From its May 6 debut through July 3, The Briefing has averaged 1.1 million total viewers—a striking 44% drop from the 1.8 million viewers who tuned in for the same 9 p.m. time slot when it was hosted by Rachel Maddow or her interim replacement, Alex Wagner. The drop places Psaki far behind her primetime rival Hannity on Fox News, which pulled in a commanding 2.9 million viewers during the same period.
The show’s challenges extend beyond overall viewership. In the highly prized 25–54 age demographic—the sweet spot for advertisers—The Briefing drew an average of just 90,000 viewers. By comparison, Hannity attracted 344,000 in the demo, while CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins pulled in 108,000.
Still, Psaki’s program holds a slight edge over The Source in total audience, with CNN’s offering averaging 543,000 viewers since May, according to figures cited by Fox News.
Expectations were high when Psaki stepped into the coveted 9 p.m. slot once dominated by Maddow, one of MSNBC’s most influential personalities. Backed by her prominent role as a former Biden administration spokesperson, Psaki brought name recognition and political savvy—but so far, it hasn’t translated into strong ratings.
The network’s broader struggles compound the issue. MSNBC has been experiencing months of viewership erosion and increasing scrutiny over its editorial direction. Parent company Comcast reportedly raised concerns last fall about the network’s performance and long-term strategy.
As Psaki continues to navigate her new role, media analysts and executives alike will be watching closely to see if The Briefing can rebound—or whether a primetime shake-up is looming on MSNBC’s horizon.