NEW YORK — In the aftermath of the recent presidential election, many Americans, including Democrats like 45-year-old Ziad Aunallah from San Diego, are experiencing a sense of political fatigue. “People are mentally exhausted,” Aunallah remarked. “Everyone knows what is coming, and we are just taking some time off.” This weariness is further reflected in declining television ratings and a recent survey that indicates around two-thirds of U.S. adults have sought to reduce their exposure to political news due to overwhelming saturation from coverage of politics and government.
According to a poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, a smaller fraction of people are reducing their consumption of news pertaining to international matters, the economy, or climate issues, but political news stands apart. Sam Gude, a 47-year-old electrician from Lincoln, Nebraska, acknowledged that prior to the election, he was consuming a significant amount of political media, but he is now uninterested in what he refers to as the interregnum, especially given his disapproval of President-elect Donald Trump.
The poll conducted in early December revealed that approximately 70% of Democrats reported distancing themselves from political coverage, while about 60% of Republicans indicated similar feelings, despite their satisfaction with Trump’s victory. Independents exhibited comparable trends toward reducing their media engagement.
The contrast in viewership among television networks that cater to political news is striking. From election night to December 13, MSNBC experienced a sharp decline, averaging 620,000 viewers in prime time—a drop of 54% compared to its pre-election statistics, as per Nielsen data. CNN’s average viewership fell by 45%, reaching 405,000 viewers during the same time frame. Conversely, Fox News Channel, a favored source for Trump supporters, saw its audience grow by 13%, boasting an average of 2.68 million viewers. This has resulted in Fox capturing 72% of prime-time viewers among the three major cable networks, up from 53% leading up to the election.
The trend of audience disinterest following the defeat of a favored candidate is not unprecedented; MSNBC faced a similar decline after Trump’s election in 2016. Fox also experienced viewer dissatisfaction in 2020 after a controversial call regarding Arizona during election coverage resulted in anger among its viewership. While MSNBC’s morning shows, like “Morning Joe,” have seen declines—precipitated by controversy over hosts visiting Trump post-election—the figures for overall prime-time more significantly illustrate this pattern.
CNN has acknowledged that while it is struggling with television ratings, its streaming and digital viewership remains steady. As the political landscape shifts with Trump set to take office, questions arise about the potential resurgence in public interest. Historically, network ratings tend to rebound as viewers seeking diverse perspectives congregate following a change in administration. Aunallah expressed willingness to re-engage, stating, “I’ll be tuning back in once the clown show starts,” emphasizing the inevitability of staying informed.
Nevertheless, the recovery may not be as smooth this time. MSNBC demonstrates a more significant dip than in previous cycles, and the engagement level of Trump critics may not mirror the fervor from his first term. With many Americans increasingly opting to cut cable subscriptions, the network’s ability to retain audiences remains under scrutiny.
The survey findings also suggest a collective desire for less political discourse from public figures following an election season saturated with endorsements from celebrities. Respondents expressed a tendency to disapprove rather than approve of public figures, enterprises, or athletes weighing in on political matters. Meanwhile, Gude, like others, is exploring alternative sources for news, finding content on platforms like YouTube more appealing.
Amidst this landscape, MSNBC faces some structural challenges with its parent company, Comcast, announcing plans to spin off the network into a new entity, leading to potential shifts in leadership.
For networks wishing to recapture their audiences, useful feedback has surfaced. As Gude noted, while a core audience may persist among Trump dissidents, expanding viewership hinges on the network shifting its focus from Trump-centric narratives. Kathleen Kendrick, a 36-year-old sales representative from Grand Junction, Colorado, expressed a desire for news stories to encompass broader perspectives and in-depth discussions, critiquing the often simplified and biased nature of reporting. “You get a story but only part of a story,” Kendrick observed, stressing the importance of comprehensive coverage.
In a similar vein, Aunallah called for greater depth and diversity in reporting. “I felt they spent all this time talking about the election. They made it such a focal point that when the main event ends, why would people want to keep watching?” he questioned, highlighting the need for a more balanced approach to political news.
The poll in question surveyed 1,251 adults between December 5-9, 2024, employing a sample from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel to ensure representativeness of the U.S. population. The sampling error margin stands at plus or minus 3.7 percentage points overall.
