Former President Donald Trump’s recent rally coverage outshone MSNBC’s much-hyped interview with President Joe Biden, landing the ex-president’s event as the second most-watched hour on cable news. Newsmax’s live coverage of Trump’s rally topped the ratings, outpacing both Fox News’ early evening programming and MSNBC’s interview slot.
According to Nielsen ratings, MSNBC host Jonathan Capehart’s interview with Biden drew a total of 732,000 viewers, with just 62,000 in the key advertising demographic of adults ages 25-54. Despite being advertised as Biden’s first televised sit-down following his State of the Union address, the broadcast fell short in viewership.
During the interview, Biden acknowledged regret for referring to Georgia student Laken Riley’s accused killer as “an illegal” during his speech, expressing he should have used the term “undocumented person.” Additionally, Biden discussed his stance on Israel’s actions in Gaza, claiming a “red line” for Israel’s conduct and referencing a “come to Jesus meeting” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the war.
Although the interview generated headlines, MSNBC still lagged behind both Fox News and Newsmax. Newsmax’s coverage of Trump’s rally garnered 898,000 viewers during the same hour, with 63,000 in the key demographic. Trump’s speech criticized Biden’s address as “angry, dark, hate-filled” while mocking the president’s inability to speak fluently, directly, and coherently.
While Newsmax’s rally coverage boosted its ratings and outperformed MSNBC, it fell short of surpassing Fox News. Fox News’ weekend news show anchored by Jon Scott drew 927,000 total viewers, maintaining the program’s average numbers.
Despite MSNBC’s third-place finish, Capehart’s show experienced a modest ratings boost. The Biden interview marked the highest ratings for The Saturday Show this year and drew nearly 40 percent more viewers than CNN in the same time slot.
Weekends historically draw lower viewership for cable news networks, with MSNBC addressing this by revamping its weekend lineup last year. While Newsmax has previously achieved ratings victories over larger competitors, its ratings have fluctuated. The exception arises when the network dedicates its airtime to Trump-related events, drawing increased viewership because people seem to care about what he has to say and what he has in store for Americans if he wins this election.
