It seems even staunch Democrats might be growing weary of the nonstop barrage of talking points from their own media. A glaring example unfolded this week when Jen Psaki’s new primetime show on MSNBC launched to modest fanfare—and then collapsed under its own weight.

When MSNBC unveiled Psaki as the replacement for Rachel Maddow’s nightly 9 p.m. Eastern timeslot, expectations were high—but the results were sobering. On opening night, Psaki drew about 1.2 million viewers overall, including 139,000 in the all-important 25–54 demographic that advertisers covet. But by night two, her viewership fell sharply—to just over a million total viewers and a paltry 65,000 in the 25–54 age bracket.

That decline was stark, especially when compared to Maddow’s performance. In the same slot the week prior, Maddow had delivered 1.9 million viewers, with 141,000 in the key Demo. Psaki’s decline represented a 46% drop in overall viewership and a 54% plunge in the advertiser-friendly demographic.

To make matters worse, her show trailed every program on Fox News and lagged behind 13 different CNN broadcasts that evening. And in a sign of unexpected humiliation, it lost out in total viewers to reruns of classic sitcoms like Friends, Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Bob’s Burgers, The King of Queens, That ’70s Show, Paw Patrol, Reba, and even My Strange Addiction.

According to Fox News, this was the lowest-rated 9 p.m. show for MSNBC in the key demographic for a Wednesday since Alex Wagner drew only 40,000 in the demo on December 11, 2024.

Ms. Psaki’s stumble is symptomatic of broader exhaustion within the left-leaning media space. Earlier this year, MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace drew sharp criticism for an on-air remark about a 13-year-old guest, DJ Daniel, whom former President Trump honored as an honorary Secret Service agent. Wallace, speaking in the wake of the program, said:

“I hope he has a long life as a law enforcement officer. But I hope he never has to defend the U.S. Capitol against Donald Trump’s supporters… if he does, I hope he isn’t one of the six who loses his life to suicide.”

The comment sparked blowback from both political sides, and is often cited as one of the few moments Wallace has drawn serious attention in recent months—though not in a flattering light.

Before Trump’s victory, Deadline: White House, Wallace’s weekday show airing from 4 to 6 p.m. EST, averaged about 1.6 million viewers. But the shift in political tides appears to have hit her audience hard. Her viewership plunged roughly 35% post-election, and by late 2024, her daily audience sat closer to one million.

In the crucial 25–54 demo, Wallace’s numbers suffered even more. From a pre-election average of 144,000, her viewership in that group has declined to 93,000, putting her behind non-news entertainment fare like Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives and Tyler Perry’s Sistas.

Taken broadly, these ratings implosions at MSNBC suggest that viewers are growing fatigued—even among core liberal audiences—with a media ecosystem that leans heavily on constant spin, echoing narratives, and relentless partisanship. The network’s political voices are being tested not just by their rivals—but increasingly by their own audience’s demand for something more than a stream of the same talking points.

If Democrats don’t course-correct, they risk not only losing ratings but losing authority in shaping the narrative itself. In a media environment driven by trust, authenticity, and resonance, the drop in engagement could be a warning sign more powerful than any headline.