---
title: "As 2016 election looms, MSNBC shakes up its programming strategy"
description: "MSNBC shifts its focus toward \"original reporting\" as its overall ratings remain strong, but total revenue for the year lags significantly behind CNN’s."
date: "2015-02-26"
authors:
  - name: "Michael Barthel"
    job_title: "Former Senior Researcher"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/michael-barthel/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2015/02/26/msnbc-shakes-up-programming-strategy/"
categories:
  - "Media Industry"
  - "State of the News Media (Project)"
  - "Television"
---

# As 2016 election looms, MSNBC shakes up its programming strategy

MSNBC has long relied on a roster of opinion-heavy shows with a liberal bent to carve out its place in the cable news world. But having struggled to keep pace with its competitors, the network [has made moves](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/20/business/media/msnbc-removes-two-hosts-to-focus-on-straight-news.html?ref=media&_r=0) suggesting that it is turning more to straight news in an effort to rebound.

Last week, MSNBC canceled two of its daytime opinion shows: “Ronan Farrow Daily” and “The Reid Report.” The move follows network president Phil Griffin’s end-of-2014 memo, which said that in 2015 “[investing in original reporting](http://money.cnn.com/2015/02/20/media/msnbc-chris-hayes-schedule-changes/)” would be the channel’s focus.

[![On MSNBC, Opinion Dominates Reporting](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2015/02/MSNBC2-25-2015.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2015/02/26/msnbc-scales-back-its-opinion-programming-at-a-difficult-time-for-the-network/msnbc2-25-2015/)

This turn to reporting – and away from opinion – would be a significant change for the network. A [2012 Pew Research Center analysis](http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2013/special-reports-landing-page/the-changing-tv-news-landscape/) found that MSNBC’s programming was 85% commentary/opinion and 15% factual reporting. By contrast, both CNN and Fox News Channel had a relatively even balance: 46% opinion vs. 54% reporting for CNN, and 55% opinion vs. 45% reporting for Fox News.

MSNBC’s strategy had also relied on positioning itself as a liberal alternative to Fox News. In [2008](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2008/10/29/cable-three-different-networks-three-different-perspectives/) and [2012](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2012/11/01/coverage-candidates-media-sector-and-cable-outlet/), Pew Research found that MSNBC was more negative about Republican candidates than Fox News Channel was about Democratic candidates. MSNBC’s coverage of John McCain and Mitt Romney was 73% and 71% negative, respectively. In contrast, Fox News’ campaign coverage of Barack Obama was never more than 46% negative.

MSNBC’s apparent repositioning comes at a difficult time for the network. Its overall ratings are strong: MSNBC’s median prime-time audience for 2014 (567,500) is higher than CNN’s (494,500), though both are down more than 8% from 2013 – and down even more [from 2008](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/media-indicators/cable-news-prime-time-viewership/). But MSNBC’s [total revenue for the year](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/10/09/cutbacks-at-cnn-highlight-the-cable-news-paradox/) (over $400 million as of October) lags significantly behind CNN’s (about $1.1 billion as of October), in part because MSNBC’s prime-time shows [draw fewer viewers than CNN](http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/scoreboard-monday-feb-23/256832)’s in the 25-54 age demographic.

Both networks trail considerably behind Fox News’ 2014 numbers for viewers (1.7 million median prime-time viewers) and revenue (nearly $2 billion as of October).

These changes come as the 2016 election is getting into full swing. Given that cable news is Americans’ [top regular source for campaign news](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/02/07/cable-leads-the-pack-as-campaign-news-source/), election season is a particularly important time for MSNBC. A strong performance in the 2008 election made the network competitive with CNN: MSNBC’s median prime-time audience [rose 61% from 2007 to 2009](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/media-indicators/cable-news-prime-time-viewership/), compared with 21% for CNN, and 2010 was the first year MSNBC’s prime-time audience topped CNN’s.