With Viewership Down, MSNBC Offers Joy Reid a Pay Cut

The post-election landscape has been tough on left-leaning news networks. MSNBC has lost more than half of its primetime viewers.

Fox’s primetime viewership has grown 7% since the election compared with its October average, according to Nielsen data earlier cited by the Hollywood Reporter…

MSNBC took second place for average total day viewers but fell behind CNN in the 25-54 demo amid its own post-election turmoil. Since Nov. 5, MSNBC’s ratings have tanked more than 60% in primetime, dropping to only 57,000 average viewers, according to Nielsen. 

The Comcast-owned channel has also seen viewers abandon its weekend shows. Last Saturday, the network’s talk show hosted by Jonathan Capehart managed just 12,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo.

Among this generally dismal news, Joy Reid’s show is not doing much better.

“The ReidOut” has shed 47% of its total audience, averaging just 759,000 viewers after averaging 1.4 million viewers throughout 2024 leading up to Election Day, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Reid lost even more viewers among the advertiser-coveted demographic ages 25-54, losing a whopping 52% of them, now averaging only 76,000 key demo viewers.

Rachel Maddow, who only works one day a week, was offered a $5 million pay cut on her $30 million salary. She is also reportedly having to step up her work commitment to hold onto the remaining $25 million. Now Joy Reid and others are getting the same treatment.

MSNBC’s Joy Reid and Stephanie Ruhle will reportedly need to take a pay cut if they want to remain in their anchor chairs as the struggling cable network continues to cut costs…

Reid, who has been with the network since 2011 and in primetime since 2020, recently raised hackles again with a pre-Thanksgiving rant in which she accused Republicans of worshiping Donald Trump “instead of Jesus.”

There’s no word on what the new offer will be or whether Reid is planning to accept it. Given her views on Republicans, she may be more put off by changes that MSNBC’s new corporate boss reportedly wants to make at the network.

Mark Lazarus would like MSNBC to be on better terms with Republicans.

The SpinCo boss, who will mark one month into his new job on Friday, has indicated to people in private conversations over the past month that he would like the Rashida Jones-led cable news network to work to incorporate more GOP voices on its air, according to people familiar with the matter.

MSNBC had to hold onto Maddow because, for better or worse, she’s the face of the network. But Joy Reid? I wonder if they aren’t lowballing her and hoping she quits at this point.