Megyn Kelly Ratings Reach ‘Possible All-Time Low’, Taking Other NBC Shows Down With Her
Megyn Kelly’s ratings have reached a “possible all-time low,” and they’re so bad that they’re taking other NBC morning shows down with them, Page Six is reporting.
Last week, Megyn drew 770,000 viewers; on Tuesday, she was down to 540,000.
That’s utterly dismal, says a source within NBC.
“It’s a possible all-time low for Today. It may even be lower than her [Fox] cable show. [NBC News president] Noah [Oppenheim] and [NBC News and MSNBC chairman] Andy [Lack] are in big trouble.”
What’s more, according to Salon, Megyn’s hour of The Today Show has seen a precipitous drop in ratings from that same hour a year ago, when Tamron Hall was host. Over the year, the hour’s ratings are down 24 percent.
What’s more, NBC recently sent Megyn to make an appearance on MSNBC — perhaps a sign that NBC is desperate, according to a source.
“It’s unthinkable. You don’t see Matt [Lauer] or Savannah [Guthrie] on MSNBC … It’s not a good sign.”
Even worse for NBC, Megyn’s dismal performance is apparently bringing down the rest of NBC’s weekday morning lineup with it. NBC execs had hoped that Megyn Kelly’s hour would serve as a powerful lead-in to the following hour, now occupied by Kathie Lee & Hoda. That hour is down by 26 percent – a situation the source blames on Kelly’s “weak lead-in.”
Laughing it up on #FundayMonday! pic.twitter.com/zFUz2g0LLj
— Kathie Lee and Hoda (@klgandhoda) October 16, 2017
However, another source at NBC says that it’s not all bad news when it comes to Megyn. In fact, says a different source, Megyn is actually meeting expectations, if not exceeding them.
“Megyn posted her highest ratings yet in the ‘key demographic’ on Monday, and she had her biggest total viewer number since the premiere.”
It’s unclear what the source meant by “key demographic,” but Salon writer Gabriel Bell notes that advertisers most prefer to reach viewers 25 to 54 years old – the ones who have the most disposable income. Megyn’s ratings within that group are anything but impressive; they’re down 38 percent since the premiere.
The source also notes that new shows often have dramatic fluctuations in ratings in the beginning, and take some time to find their audience.
Meanwhile, according to Jezebel, it seems that Megyn is the victim of a self-fulfilling prophecy. She can’t get good guests because her ratings are bad, and her ratings are bad because she can’t get good guests. The magazine reported that several high-powered publicists in the entertainment industry are keeping their clients away from Megyn; a statement that an anonymous NBC source denies.
Why do you believe Megyn Kelly’s ratings are so dismal? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
[Featured Image by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP]
