Just days into her highly anticipated debut in MSNBC’s primetime slot, former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is facing what could be one of the network’s most difficult launches in recent memory.

The 9 p.m. hour, once the undisputed domain of Rachel Maddow, is suddenly under scrutiny. And all eyes are on Psaki.

A High-Profile Promotion, A Complicated Transition

Psaki’s promotion from Sunday host of Inside with Jen Psaki to the helm of The Briefing—Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 p.m.—was framed as a defining step in MSNBC’s post-Maddow era. Network president Rebecca Kutler called Psaki “the face of the new chapter,” citing her deep Washington experience and insider access as key strengths.

But primetime is unforgiving. And by night two, the numbers were already sliding.

According to Nielsen data, The Briefing premiered with a solid 1.2 million viewers and 139,000 in the coveted 25–54 advertising demo. But by the following night, that figure had dropped dramatically—down to just over 1 million total viewers and a 53% drop in the demo, falling to 65,000.

Among younger viewers aged 18–49, the slide was even steeper—a 67% collapse overnight.

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Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki took over the coveted 9pm Tuesday – Friday slot on MSNBC last week but just two nights in to her broadcast, viewership has crumbled

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Psaki was replacing Rachel Maddow’s five-night-a-week stint with a new show called The Briefing

A Numbers Game MSNBC Can’t Ignore

The competition is fierce.

On Wednesday, Psaki’s show was beaten not only by CNN and Fox News, but by reruns of classic sitcoms like Seinfeld, The King of Queens, and Bob’s Burgers—and even by Nickelodeon’s Paw Patrol.

Among MSNBC’s own lineup, The Briefing posted the network’s lowest-rated 9 p.m. Wednesday slot since December 2024, during a previous programming shuffle.

Following a Giant: Maddow’s Shadow Still Looms

Psaki acknowledged from the outset that stepping into Maddow’s time slot would be a challenge. “There’s only one Rachel Maddow,” she said in a recent interview. “Even if I trained at the Rachel Maddow anchor school for five years, I could never do what she does.”

Maddow—who now hosts The Rachel Maddow Show only on Monday nights—echoed that humility, praising Psaki’s experience and ability to connect with Washington’s power players.

“She knows people, and she knows how to talk to them,” Maddow told People magazine. “That’s not my skill set. I’m a reader. She’s a talker.”

But talk alone may not be enough to retain an audience.

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A cartoon about rescue puppies on a fictional island outpaced MSNBC’s prime-time anchor in the audience advertisers care most about on Wednesday night

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Maddow earns $25 million a year at MSNBC even though she has returned to only appearing on air once a week

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Jen Psaki served as the White House Press Secretary from January 20, 2021, to May 13, 2022

Is It a Ratings Fluke or a Pattern in the Making?

While it’s too early to declare The Briefing a failure, the early metrics have sparked concern—particularly given MSNBC’s broader ratings struggles and internal shakeups. The 9 p.m. slot is among the most valuable on cable, and Psaki’s opening week is being watched closely both inside and outside the network.

Media analysts note that new shows often experience early fluctuations. Still, a drop of over 50% in the key demo within 24 hours is significant.

Behind the Curtain: Changes and Cost-Cutting

Psaki’s launch comes amid major change at MSNBC.

New president Rebecca Kutler has already canceled The ReidOut with Joy Reid and shuffled time slots for Katie Phang, Jonathan Capehart, and Ayman Mohyeldin. According to reporting by Puck News, contributors have even had to pay for their own transportation and do their own makeup—symptoms of an outlet under financial and structural pressure.

The D.C. studio, once home to Joy Reid and now Psaki, has become ground zero for MSNBC’s transition.

What Jen Psaki Hoped to Bring

Psaki had been building momentum on Sundays with Inside, a mix of politics, cultural analysis, and insider storytelling. With The Briefing, she aimed to go deeper—offering what she called “clarity amid chaos.”

“As the federal government is being dismantled and the rule of law is being threatened,” she told Vanity Fair, “there’s a huge appetite for understanding what’s happening.”

Psaki also said the name change from Inside to The Briefing reflected a shift away from the idea that Washington insiders have all the answers. “I didn’t want to send the message that our assumption is that we know it all.”

But some critics suggest that message hasn’t landed with viewers.

The Larger Question: Star Power vs. Brand Legacy

At the heart of this early turbulence is a deeper media question: Can MSNBC build new stars in Maddow’s shadow?

It’s the same challenge the network faced with Alex Wagner’s attempted succession in 2022–2024, which ended in a quiet demotion after lukewarm ratings. And it may be an even steeper hill for Psaki, who faces polarized public perception due to her years as a Democratic press secretary.

Critics argue the network overestimated her crossover appeal. Supporters say she simply needs time.

What Happens Now?

For now, The Briefing remains on the schedule, and MSNBC has not signaled any course correction. Psaki continues to headline the 9 p.m. hour, and producers are reportedly planning tweaks to tone, pacing, and guest bookings.

Whether these changes can stabilize viewership remains to be seen. But for a network undergoing identity shifts in the middle of a media storm—and during Donald Trump’s second term—the stakes could not be higher.

Conclusion: A Rocky Start, But the Game Is Far from Over

Jen Psaki is not Rachel Maddow—and she never claimed to be.

But The Briefing was supposed to mark a new chapter for MSNBC: a younger, plugged-in voice with deep access to Washington’s inner workings.

Instead, it’s become an early test of resilience, brand loyalty, and whether a legacy network can reinvent itself without its most iconic voice anchoring every night.

The audience is watching. The critics are circling. And Psaki? She’s still standing at the podium.

But this time, the questions aren’t coming from the press corps—they’re coming from the people at home.