Amid MSNBC’s struggles, star personality Rachel Maddow reportedly had her salary cut by approximately $5 million. Despite being one of the leading anchors at the left-leaning network, Maddow was forced to negotiate her $30 million per year salary for “The Rachel Maddow Show” down to $25 million for the next five years.
MSNBC has faced a challenging ratings environment, particularly after the presidential election, where parent company Comcast has been seeking to spin off the network. The New York Post recently reported on commentary from one executive at the network, who said, “This is a difficult time and they needed to keep her.” Further praising Maddow, they added, “No one else can do what she does. You can’t build a brand like it overnight.”
In the aftermath of the election, MSNBC saw its ratings completely plummet, falling 54 percent in the days after President-elect Donald Trump won in a landslide. Some have argued that viewers were let down by the pro-Harris “propaganda” pushed by the network. “We were so Harris propaganda that when she lost, viewers were shocked,” one commentator said. “It turned into one giant circle j–k and echo chamber. If MSNBC wants to be of service to its viewers, they can’t keep them in fantasy land.”
Conservatives on social media reacted to the news, celebrating the pay cut as accountability for the mainstream media. “Finally, some accountability in the liberal media! Rachel Maddow’s salary cut is a small victory for those of us who refuse to be brainwashed by MSNBC’s biased reporting,” one person said. “$25 million is still an outrageous amount for spreading misinformation and propaganda. When will they learn that the American people demand truth and fairness in journalism? Maybe this is a sign that the tide is turning against the arrogant metropolitan elite and their lapdogs in the media.”
The American Tribune recently reported on commentary surrounding the ratings collapse at MSNBC after the election, where conservative commentator Sean Spicer illustrated the massive decline. “This is out just a little while ago, the ratings for MSNBC,” Spicer said. “Morning Joe down 39.6, Andrea Mitchell down 39.7, Ari Melber down 49.6, Joy Reid down 54.6, all in the last week. Lawrence O’Donnell down 60.6, Stephanie Ruhle, the big winner, down 67 percent in ratings.” Spicer concluded from the data, “They lost the trust of the American people.”
He further noted, “I mean, Chris Wallace, this morning announced that he’s leaving CNN to go to a platform. The thing is, you know, my view, I get, I’ve been asked, probably by about 10 to 12 reporters in the last 48 to 72 hours, how did we miss this again?” Spicer pointed out, “And I said we didn’t. You did. And I mean, and I say this respectfully, but I was just like, look, here are the guests that we’ve had on.”’
Spicer explained that many have decided to abandon mainstream media after they were so wrong about the election and bias has become apparent. “There are people who are going great, I’ll tune you out, and I’ll go find somewhere else,” he continued. “When you look at the numbers, this show keeps growing every day because people, I think, are saying I can find out more in it, honestly, what’s happening on this platform than anywhere else.”
