25-54 demographic (Live +SD)

• Total day: FNC: 356 | MSNBC: 119 | CNN: 338 | HLN: 294

• Primetime: FNC: 471 | MSNBC: 173 | CNN: 454 | HLN: 358

Read more

25-54 demographic (Live +SD)

• Total day: FNC: 223 | MSNBC: 121 | CNN: 140 | HLN: 242

• Primetime: FNC: 236 | MSNBC: 131 | CNN: 155 | HLN: 273

Read more

Media bias and the press were the subject of two big segments on cable news last night. On FNC’s “The O’Reilly Factor,” Bill O’Reilly sent producer Jesse Watters went to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where he asked attendees whether there was bias in the media. Al Roker, Les Moonves, Bob Schieffer, Chris Matthews and Piers Morgan were all among his “victims.”

WATCH:

On MSNBC ‘s “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell,” the MSNBC host made the White House press corps the subject of his ire. In a lengthy, 16-minute (!) segment, O’Donnell argued that for the American reporters, the conferences “are more about the press than the President.”

WATCH:
Read more

April 2013 was a big news month, but while some of MSNBC’s dayside news programs saw ratings bumps, overall the network was flat or down compared to 2012 in both primetime and total day.

The ratings for April, 2013 (Nielsen Live + Same Day data):

• Primetime (Mon-Sun): 682K Total Viewers / 234K A25-54
• Total Day (Mon-Sun): 406K Total Viewers / 139K A25-54

Compared to April 2012 MSNBC was down -10% in total viewers and -1% in adults 25-54 in primetime. In total day, MSNBC was down -4% in total viewers and was flat in the demo. That said, coverage of the Boston bombing (and subsequent manhunt) on CNN and the Jodi Arias trial on HLN led to the channel placing fourth in the demo in total day for the month.

During dayside, MSNBC actually some substantial growth, with every show from 9AM-2PM up in both total and demo viewers. The most “Andrea Mitchell Reports” was up +14% in total viewers and +47% in the demo, while 12PM’s “Now” was up +16% in total viewers and +19% in the demo. “Martin Bashir” was up at 4 PM, improving +6% in total viewers and +41% in the demo.

The only MSNBC shows to be down in both total and demo viewers were “Morning Joe” (down -6% and -14%, respectively) , “PoliticsNation” at 6 PM (-15% and -11%, respectively), and 10PM, which is “The Last Word” and long-form docs (-8% and -6%, respectively).

Some shows, like “Hardball,” and “The Cycle” were down in total viewers but up in the demo.

MSNBC has signed Chris Matthews to a new, long-term contract with the channel, TVNewser has learned.

As part of the new deal, however, he will be ending “The Chris Matthews Show,” a syndicated public affairs show produced out of the NBC News DC bureau. The final edition of the program will air July 21. The half-hour show typically aired on Sunday mornings, though not every local market carried it. The show has been produced by NBC since 2002.

Matthews says he is ending the syndicated show to focus on “Hardball,” his books and his long-form TV docs.

“There are limits to what I can do in a week,” Matthews says in a statement. “Henceforth, I intend to concentrate any time left over from “Hardball” on writing books like the one I’m committed to now on the relationship between Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan, that and producing documentaries on history and politics.”

The full statement from Matthews, after the jump.

Read more

Substitutions in the middle of a game are pretty common in sports, but in cable news? Not so much.

And yet, this morning, MSNBC’s “Daily Rundown” substituted Luke Russert for Chuck Todd right in the middle of the program. Todd threw to a commercial at 9:26, and when the show returned at 9:29, Russert was behind the desk:

“Welcome back to ‘The Daily Rundown,’ you are looking at the White House briefing room where President Obama is set to have a press conference at 10:15 AM,” Russert said. “So why is this Luke Russert talking to you? Well, Chuck Todd is on his way there.

“Traffic willing in this fair city, chuck Todd will be there in the first row,” Russert added.

At 10 AM, Chris Matthews took over anchoring duties. The presser is now slated for 10:30 AM.

The cable news networks were a prime target for both President Obama and Conan O’Brien at Saturday night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, held at the Washington D.C. Hilton.

Obama kicked off his remarks by acknowledging Fox News senior White House correspondent Ed Henry, the White House Correspondents’ Association president. “Ed, you’re doing an outstanding job,” Obama said. “We are grateful for the great work you’ve done.”

In his remarks, Obama poked fun at CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. “I know CNN has taken some knocks lately, but I admire their commitment to cover all sides of the story, just in case one of them happens to be accurate,” he said. “David Axelrod now works for MSNBC, which is a nice change of pace considering MSNBC used to work for David Axelrod.” Obama joked that Fox News said it was “an insult to Satan” when an actor in the History Channel’s series “The Bible” was noticed for his resemblance to the President.

O’Brien also took aim at CNN and Fox News in his speech. “Speaking of dinner, tonight’s entrees were halibut and filet mignon. Or as John King reported it, lasagna and cous-cous,” he said. “If the President laughs, everyone laughs. And if the Fox News table laughs, a little girl just fell off her bike.”

O’Brien also made fun of NBC, saying the network has had a “rough go of it” of late. “The ‘Today’ show let go of Ann Curry. After being told, Ann Curry said, ‘let me get this straight: Al Roker tells the world that he crapped his pants at the White House, and I’m getting fired?’” O’Brien said.

Earlier in the day, Tammy Haddad hosted the 20th Annual Correspondents Garden Brunch. FishbowlDC has the details of the event, which was attended by Greta Van Susteren, Savannah Guthrie, Norah O’Donnell and Chris Matthews, among many others.

After the jump, watch the “House of Cards” spoof that opened the dinner, featuring Henry, Charlie Rose and Major Garrett. Read more

25-54 demographic (Live +SD)

• Total day: FNC: 297 | MSNBC: 117 | CNN: 155 | HLN: 145

• Primetime: FNC: 287 | MSNBC: 190 | CNN: 187 | HLN: 190

Read more

25-54 demographic (Live +SD)

• Total day: FNC: 327 | MSNBC: 134 | CNN: 258 | HLN: 125

• Primetime: FNC: 436 | MSNBC: 257 | CNN: 295 | HLN: 135

Read more

25-54 demographic (Live +SD)

• Total day: FNC: 249 | MSNBC: 127 | CNN: 113 | HLN: 176

• Primetime: FNC: 310 | MSNBC: 210 | CNN: 150 | HLN: 225

Read more