‘What, Exactly, Are We Celebrating?’: MSNBC Insiders Privately Question ‘Ill-Advised’ Decision To Hire Alex Wagner As Rachel Maddow Replacement
Alex Wagner’s ratings since taking over for Rachel Maddow during MSNBC’s 9 PM news hour have left network insiders questioning whether Wagner was the best choice to replace Maddow four days a week, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In a shocking development to come less than one month since Wagner took over for Maddow on August 16, the 44-year-old journalist and host of the new Alex Wagner Tonight program has only received mediocre ratings.
Even more surprising is that compared to Maddow’s usual 2.5 million viewers per night, Wagner has only garnered an average of 1.5 million viewers tuning in to watch her new show – with just 150,000 of those viewers being the all-important advertiser-relevant 25-to-54-year-old demographic.
That is the startling revelation recently made by journalist Dylan Byers, who also revealed Wagner’s takeover of MSNBC’s 9 PM primetime news hour has not only “sapped the network of its competitive edge” but also “created an opening for CNN to reclaim influence in primetime.”
“The hour is in play now,” a CNN insider told Byers, referring to the 9 PM primetime hour that more often than not serves as every news network’s “high-water mark for ratings.”
But while the 9 PM timeslot usually serves as every network’s high-water mark for ratings, Wagner has been underperforming compared to Chris Hayes, who airs before Wagner at 8 PM, and Lawrence O’Donnell, who airs after Wagner at 10 PM.
These inconsistencies in both Wagner’s performance and ratings have left NBC and MSNBC executives allegedly regretting their hasty move to name Wagner as Maddow’s replacement.
NBCU’s CEO, Jeff Shell, is said to be regretting negotiating the deal with superagent Ari Emanuel that gave Maddow $30 million a year and the choice to only work one night a week.
MSNBC President Rashida Jones, as well as NBC News Group Chairman Cesar Conde, are said to be regretting their decision to name Wagner in Maddow’s place.
Despite Shell, Jones, and Conde privately questioning their decision to allow Wagner to take over for Maddow at 9 PM Monday through Thursday, the network executives still hosted a dinner in Wagner’s honor on Monday night.
MSNBC President Rashida Jones
“We’re so happy to have you back in the family and could not be more excited to celebrate you,” Jones reportedly said during a toast for Wagner during the dinner.
But with Wagner’s poor ratings resulting in the loss of MSNBC’s competitive edge against the likes of CNN, some are wondering why, exactly, they were celebrating at all.
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