Maddow Appearance Boosts 'Meet the Press' Ratings to Highest Point Since April

[BadDonkey]

Source: HuffPo/TV Bizwire

Last Sunday's guest appearance by MSNBC's Rachel Maddow resulted a major boost in the ratings for NBC's "Meet the Press" according to Huffington Post.

The show reached 3.3 million total viewers, the highest number since April 19, when it featured Larry Summers and averaged 3,439,000 total viewers.

Maddow took part in a panel discussion with with former House Majority Leader Rep. Dick Armey, R-Texas, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., about the healthcare debate.


Read more: http://www.tvweek.com/blogs/tvbizwire/2009/08/maddow-appearance-boosts-meet.php

[BlueIdaho]

1. you mean it wasn't that lush dick armey? nt.

[GinaMaria]

7. Everytime he spoke he was wringing his hands

guilt? sign of lying?

[George II]

38. Neither, he was thinking "how long before I get my next drink?"

[FrenchieCat]

2. I watched that one (and that one only) and was bitterly disappointed

in that she didn't get the kind of time I was expecting.

Gregory can expect things to go back as they were from this point on; lackluster ratings.

Give Maddow that show, and let's get MTP back to where it could have been all along; watchable.

Till then, I'm boycotting this show, as Gregory and his usual guests suck BIGTIME!

[nyc 4 Biden]

8. Rachel on MTP would be great.

Probably one of the only ways MTP can redeem itself.

ETA: Lawrence O'Donnell would also make a great host, way better than that hack Gregory.

[movonne]

18. I would not be able to see her every night...her,ed and keith are

the only news programs I watch...

[lefthandedlefty]

36. Same here

:toast:

[No Elephants]

22. Agree, but NBC News is Republican and that is the way it is. It's not going to put

a Democrat in Gregory's chair, let alone an intelligent liberal firebrand like Maddow. She does deserve it, though.

[George II]

40. I've been avoiding it since...

....about 2 weeks after Gregory became the permanent host. He is absolutely horrible. Let's hope NBC executives wake up quickly and get a better host. I think Maddow is a bit too much to them for a Sunday morning talk show, however.

[JaneQPublic]

3. It's time for NBC to hand the show over to Rachel (nt)

[sledgehammer]

23. This probably won't happen

She deserves it more than anything. But two reasons. One, she is new on the "scene" - there are way too many contenders, too much bad blood will be risked. And two, her program is too opinionated for her to be given the MTP slot.

MTP is considered to be very neutral. I have no doubt Rachel will hold anyone to account, whether it be liberal, conservative, whatever. But guests may not think so and may not want to come if they hold views very opposite her own.

Regardless, go Rachel! She's doing a great job as it is. What an amazing person!

[George II]

48. Anybody but Gregory - he's horrible. Might as well be Chris Wallace!

[quiet.american]

4. Agreed. nt

[gratuitous]

5. Uh oh, better book John McCain again

No sense in showcasing anything like a liberal voice more than once a year, and McCain's been on MTP only twice so far this year. Why, it's practically censorship! By the librul media! Also!

[WeDidIt]

6. She's been a ratings bonanza since she started.

GO RACHEL!!!!

[FVZA_Colonel]

9. She's easily the smartest pundit on the news right now.

I'd say there's no surprise why she's so popular.

[gateley]

17. I SO agree -- the smartest and most informative. nt

[Twinguard]

20. EASILY.

Rachel is as sharp as they come. I have nothing but respect for her. A few weeks ago I told my wife that she was to be a guest on Bill Maher's show. She literally clapped and opened a nice wine for the occasion.

Go Rachel!!

[No Elephants]

28. Next time, I'll be at your place, glass in hand. Hope it was a good wine.

[XemaSab]

41. Definitely

She's also good at breaking things down for the viewer.

Her comparison of the election to football taught me something about both elections and football. :)

I found it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWLhk6L-r4k

[Joey Liberal]

10. Rachel is hot, literally and ratings wise..... nt

[soleft]

11. This week - Scarborough - I guess they can't stand success

[4lbs]

13. Is Mika going to be there as his obligatory fluffer? (n/t)

.

[Judi Lynn]

21. He'll provide the program's LOWEST ratings to date. n/t

[sallyseven]

45. He makes me sick.

I don't watch him in the am. As a matter of fact i only watch from 6-9PM Daytime is full of repuks. Also I hate pat buchanan.

[No Elephants]

26. Scarborough is as intellectually dishonest and deceptive as they come, but

tries to hid behind a thin, thin veneer of being even handed and reasonable.

Unctuous slime is worse than honest slime.

[PatSeg]

12. Why am I not surprised

That was the only MTP I've watched since Gregory took over. I'm quite sure NBC knows they've made a mistake making Gregory the host.

[pattmarty]

44. I had absolutely no use for Russert. Gregory is a huge improvement...........

...........over Timmy. Meet the Press is NEVER going to be a liberal bastion on tv. NBC wants a staid boring type of host so they will look unbiased.

[greyghost]

14. Rachel is one of the...

smartest people on the frigging planet, and NBC knows it. The only reason they won't give her the show is because the right is terrified of her. They should be, in a battle of wits with Rachel, they have no weapons.

[mascarax]

15. this should tell NBC somethin'...

They need to dump Gregory. Quickly.

And *why* follow with Morning Joe?! Sheesh.

[dsharp88]

16. They're following Rachel with Joe to show "balance"

It's a cya moment.

[IndianaGreen]

19. NBC shouldn't use Rachel to save David Gregory's sorry ass show

MTP has sucked for years, and it has gotten more lame since Gregory took it over.

[avaistheone1]

24. We need Rachael and more progressives in the mass media.

Congrats Rachael!!!

[wtmusic]

25. OK I admit it...I had a Tom Coburn haircut in high school

but that was 35 years ago.

[Wizard777]

27. COHOST! MTP will never duplicate what they had with Tim Russert.

Time to forge new ground.

[No Elephants]

29. If Russert were alive, I'd put Maddow up against him any day of the week. She, too, is

smart enough to fake objectivity, as Russert did.

Smart guy, he was, especially for a Republican broadcaster. The only close second in the Republican broadcasting world., IMO, is Stephanopoulous.

And, yes, I know who they worked for.

[JI7]

30. i think Russert and Maddow's success is partly about their personal appeal to people

in ways that have nothing to do with politics. both of them talk about things in their personal lives that people can relate to. Maddow always has someone on to do those cocktail drinks . Russert talking about going to sports games with his son.

people start to feel a personal connection to these people. people saw Russert as a father figure, uncle, brother etc. and they see MAddow as a daughter, sister, friend etc.

and of course they do stay informed on the issues and very prepared to do the interviews. but while Russert used his knowledge to do stupid gothcha questions that were misleading. Maddow does some real political analysis.

Gregory just sucks in every way. there is no personal appeal, no political smarts, nothing there other than asshole.

[Wizard777]

31. I think they both strive(d) for perspicacity instead of objectivity.

There is a real astuteness to their lack of bias. That's more than simple objectivity. It's perspicacity.

[WriteDown]

32. Bingo!

Russert was one of a kind.

[DU GrovelBot]

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This week is our third quarter 2009 fund drive. Democratic Underground is
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[Overseas]

34. K&R. Go Rachel ! //nt

[DesertFlower]

35. rachel is great.

[George II]

37. Imagine what their ratings would have been if she was able to get a thought it....

...instead of being repeatedly interrupted by the two smarmy, lying bastards on the panel?

[Politicalboi]

39. Rachel should host MTP

Or Ed. And MSNBC should have programing on the weekends instead of prison series. How a about a politics game show. Are you smarter than a Politician? And I'm serious too. Maybe it will educate people and they could have a segement What's in the Bill.

[mascarax]

54. Yes, MSNBC needs some weekend programming

I'm not sure what they have any more because whenever I flipped over, it was prison...so I stopped bothering.

I'd like to see a Saturday night show with O'Donnell (I think he'd be best with a weekly, give him time to really focus on a few stories - maybe get his Texas buddy Culberson on as a sidekick - ha!).

And dump Gregory for Maddow on MTP because it is going down.

[Kingofalldems]

42. I bet the Unknown Republican is not liking this

[pattmarty]

43. What was it again all these ass hole conservatives said about...................

.............how a liberal, any liberal, couldn't make it on talk radio or in the media??? We got some of the BIG guns now, motherfuckers!!!!

[defendandprotect]

46. These farcical Sunday Shows could use a good dose or Rachel honesty . . !!!

[Doctor_J]

47. I suppose "Mr. Republican" Gregory will return,

along with the abysmal ratings

[greyghost]

49. The man is a TOOL...eom

[Samantha]

50. I think this is probably more than a pipe dream but a distinct possibility

I knew when she changed her approach and geared back up to the Rachel we once knew, she had a reason. In the process, she has totally outdone herself, being better than we have ever seen. There was a reason for that.

She also started coming up with visual illustrations, something Russert was known for. Remember his chart during the 2000 election. She's been coughing up visuals sort of in the same vein.

I think the network is thinking about putting her in the slot but is in the process of assessing if Meet the Press with her as host would have broad appeal.

If you listen closely, David Gregory's cohorts have started recently building him up, giving him little boosts on their shows. That's a sign they are in support for someone who is losing his or her way. The deflated ratings for Meet the Press are not exactly a secret. Networks are mainly interested in numbers.

When I heard she would guest on the show, I thought it was a trial balloon ratings wise. They also sat her next to Dick Armey. If you caught her recent shows, you have to give her credit for letting the air out of his employment balloon. To sit that close to him to see if she was capable of interacting with someone she obviously had feelings of contempt for was another test. And she demonstrated she could do it with ease. Couple that with the huge ratings boost, and I think the network is even more seriously looking at the possibility now. And I do hope they run with putting her on MTP, but not as a co-host with David Gregory. Give him the boot.

[No Elephants]

52. I hope you are right!

[Harry Pierce]

53. Wouldn't that be something?

Oh my, just the thought of it I feel good all over. The MSM needs to get with the program.

[George II]

55. Unfortunately I think the NBC executives want someone more "middle of the road"...

...whether that's what viewers want or not. They're afraid that they'll be called "leftwing"!

[steven johnson]

51. Rachel's got my vote -- thoughtful and articulate