Back in early February, we reported that the new MSNBC morning news program The Weekend got off to a positive start. The show is hosted by Alicia Menendez, former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele, and former Democratic strategist Symone Sanders-Townsend.
For its first three weekends (thru Jan. 28), according to Nielsen Media Research, The Weekend averaged 779,000 viewers/71,000 adults 25-54 on Saturday mornings; 554,000 viewers/57,000 adults 25-54 on Sundays; representing double-digit percentage growth from all of MSNBC weekend early mornings within the 2023 calendar year.
In the two months since our report, The Weekend has improved upon its initial outings. For Saturdays at 8-10 AM from Feb. 3 through Mar. 30, it has delivered 805,000 total viewers including 84,000 within the key 25-54 demographic; Sundays 8-10 AM for Feb. 4-Mar. 31: 637,000 viewers and 63,000 adults 25-54.
Its peak performance, to date, came on Saturday, Mar. 9 within the 9-10 AM hour, drawing 970,000 viewers and 140,000 adults 25-54. That morning, President Biden had signed key government funding bills into law and averted a federal shutdown.
Through Mar. 31, the updated The Weekend averages since its debut are, as follows: 799,000 viewers/80,000 adults 25-54 on Saturday mornings; 669,000 viewers/68,000 adults 25-54 on Sundays.
Based on its timeslots throughout all of 2023 and the first weekend of 2024, which had mostly included programs hosted by Katie Phang and Jonathan Capehart, The Weekend grew 41 percent and 47 percent in total audience (along with 41 percent and 37 percent in adults 25-54) on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Its success prompted the network to re-air its Sunday editions in Sunday prime time since early March.
