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Ratings Roundup: MSNBC Sees Ratings Dip After Rachel Maddow Returns to Regular Schedule and Jen Psaki Begins New Show

Garrett Searight
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Ratings Roundup: MSNBC Sees Ratings Dip After Rachel Maddow Returns to Regular Schedule and Jen Psaki Begins New Show

The Lead

MSNBC saw changes to its primetime lineup as Jen Psaki stepped into the timeslot temporarily occupied by Rachel Maddow during the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency.

After Maddow returned to her Monday-night-only schedule, The Briefing with Jen Psaki debuted in the timeslot. During her final full week leading the temporary show, Rachel Maddow’s program averaged just under 2.1 million total viewers. Included in that figure was 173,000 viewers from the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic.

During her first show back to her normal Monday-only schedule, The Rachel Maddow Show averaged 1.7 million total viewers and 155,000 from the key demo.

In the first week of The Briefing with Jen Psaki, the show averaged 1.1 million viewers, a drop of 47% compared to the final full week of Maddow’s show in the window. Additionally, the decline was also present in the key demographic, as 92,000 viewers — on average — watched the first full week of Psaki’s show.

The absence of Rachel Maddow in the MSNBC lineup was felt throughout the primetime schedule. During the 100 days that Maddow hosted a nightly program on the cable channel, the network averaged 1.149 million viewers.

During the first week with Maddow back to her usual Monday-only schedule, MSNBC averaged 892,000 total viewers in the primetime window. That represents a decline of 22%. The figure is more in line with the pre-inauguration totals seen by the network, where it averaged 739,500 total viewers.

ABC World News Tonight Sees Bump During Papal Conclave Coverage

The death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV were bound to drive upticks in cable news viewing. We now know just how big the bump was, as ABC World News Tonight saw gains during those weeks.

During the week of the death of Pope Francis, ABC News saw a 3.6% increase in total viewers from the previous week, as it averaged 7.4 million viewers.

The week of the election of Pope Leo XIV, the nightly newscast averaged 7.3 million viewers. That figure also represented a 3.6% increase over the prior week with no Pope-related news.

It is worth noting that Pope Francis died on a Monday, while Pope Leo was voted as the leader of the Catholic church on a Thursday.

The nightly newscast from ABC News was anchored by David Muir live from Rome between Tuesday and Thursday.

NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt — who is set to depart the anchor chair from the venerable news program later this month — was also in Rome those same days. That network averaged 5.6 million viewers during the week of its coverage of the papal conclave.

NBC News actually saw a decrease in its viewership during the week of the death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo compared to the prior week. It was down 3.4% the week during the death of Francis and down 4.1% in the week of the conclave.

CBS Evening News Only Newscast to See In-Demo Increase

The ratings news for CBS Evening News has not been positive for several months of 2025, mostly since former anchor Norah O’Donnell departed the newscast.

But there was a ratings win for the program, as during the week of May 5th, it was the only network newscast to see ratings growth inside the key Adults 25-54 demographic.

In the demographic, CBS News saw a 4.1% increase in demo viewership compared to the previous week, up to 502,000 for the week. During the same timeframe, NBC News saw a 9.3% decrease in viewership from the demographic. It fell to 789,000 viewers.

ABC News, meanwhile, had the slightest drop in average audience from the key demographic, dropping from 973,000 to 971,000 during the week of May 5th.

Despite the increase in viewership for ABC News on the back of the news of the election of a new pope in total viewership, the network actually saw its smallest average audience in the key demographic during the week of May 5th. It marked the second straight week the newscast failed to eclipse one million viewers. However, it is still the top-rated newscast in the coveted sector.

While the CBS Evening News still lags well behind its network news competitors in both the total viewership and key demo totals, it has steadied the ship slightly in the coveted demographic.

In April, the nightly newscast fell below 500,000 viewers in the Adults 25-54 demo twice, including a new 2025 low during the week of April 28th. The network bounced back in each of the weeks following those dips below the half-million mark, up to 544,00 in-demo viewers during the week of April 14th after falling to 491,000 the week before.

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What the NFL Can Teach News/Talk Radio About Staying Relevant

Pete Mundo
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What the NFL Can Teach News/Talk Radio About Staying Relevant

No one knows how to market and build hype like the NFL. The league has made the NFL Draft into a multi-week buildup and week-long spectacle in a different city every year. This week, the NFL put a dent in the NBA Playoffs by releasing its full season schedule, which had sports fans buzzing and breaking down games that were months away. Are news/talk radio hosts, stations, and leaders ready to put that lesson into action?

The NFL is a five-and-a-half-month sport, but it has brilliantly figured out how to keep the attention of its fans nearly 12 months out of the year. Between the aforementioned Draft, schedule release, NFL Combine, summer camps, and preseason games, the NFL doesn’t miss a beat.

Oh, and the league has taken Christmas Day away from the NBA, the one calendar day the NBA had ownership over. The NFL said to the NBA, “Yeah, we’ll take that too, while we’re at it.”

There are lessons here for news/talk radio stations and, frankly, any media brand in general. Every format has a perceived “slow season.” News/talk radio stations know that Presidential and Midterm election years are likely to create a ratings bump thanks to more interest in big elections.

But that still leaves odd years that aren’t election years and a news cycle that may not always be on fire, which is the opposite of what we’re dealing with right now.

However, it’s not good enough to just assume that ratings may not be as strong in non-election years. The NFL didn’t complain about not getting headlines in the off-season; they figured out how to make their sport the most-discussed product in American sports as often as possible. And if you think they’re done, they’re not. The league is always innovating and trying to figure out ways to keep itself top of mind with its passionate audience.

Are you doing that with your radio station or show? While there are mixed opinions on social media usage, at least by hosts, stations should find ways through their platforms to consistently remind listeners and try to capture them, even when they’re not listening to a radio. If they’re scrolling through social media, it’s highly unlikely they’re listening to a radio at that moment.

Are there events or special show programs in the off-season that may benefit listeners from an entertainment and information perspective and can become revenue drivers for the station?

My wife is often amazed that grown men walking up to a podium and announcing an NFL Draft pick can draw millions of viewers. But, that’s exactly what happens now, with this year’s NFL Draft being the second-most watched Draft of all time.

The NFL Draft was first televised live on ESPN on April 29, 1980. This was a significant moment, marking the beginning of the NFL Draft as a major televised event. There were probably those around NFL HQ who scoffed at the idea.

Nearly 50 years later, the NFL is laughing all the way to the bank.

There’s no doubt that not every idea will be a “hit”. But that’s part of being creative and taking chances. We can all do a better job of creating content and promotions that are not reliant on elections or red-hot news cycles.

The NFL has mastered this and owns the sports conversation whenever it chooses to. It’s a lesson we can all learn from. 

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Mike Tirico on What He Would Like To See From Michael Jordan on NBC

BSM Staff
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Mike Tirico on What He Would Like To See From Michael Jordan on NBC

There is plenty of discussion regarding the news this week of six-time champion and basketball hall of famer Michael Jordan joining the relaunch of the NBA on NBC later this fall as a special contributor. The network has been silent on exactly what the role will entail for the basketball legend. As a result, there has been much debate about how he would be used with the network in his first venture into sports media.

Meanwhile, NBC play-by-play voice Mike Tirico joined The Dan Patrick Show on Thursday to discuss the news of Jordan’s addition to the NBA on NBC talent roster.

“I think it will be one of those things that evolves over time,” said Tirico. “I’m excited that he would even consider doing it.”

Subsequently, Patrick pressed Tirico to explain how he would personally like to see Jordan used with the broadcasts in his role as a special contributor.

“I don’t know without talking to him what his level of granular NBA, following the league transaction by transaction, level is right now,” noted Tirico. “I think there is a unique space there to hear from Michael where the game is and where it’s going. I’m curious what he thinks about a three-on-one and guys run to the three-point line. I’m curious what he thinks, as a guy who wanted to play so often, about the amount of play guys have and the style of the way the game is played now on both ends of the floor.”

Furthermore, Tirico said he couldn’t envision Jordan being in a “sitting at the desk” role with NBC. However, he noted that he’d like to hear what Jordan has to say from a high level and be involved with it.

“Any chance to hear Michael Jordan talk basketball, I’m signing up for,” explained Tirico.

Historically, NBC previously broadcast NBA games from 1990 to 2002. Recently, the network signed an 11-year agreement with the NBA to return to broadcasting games beginning next season. Jordan last played in the NBA in 2003 with the Washington Wizards, but he has not maintained a constant presence in and around the NBA since he stepped away from the game.

Looking ahead, Peacock will livestream exclusive national Monday night games, while NBC/Peacock will present national coverage of regional doubleheaders on Tuesday nights. Additionally, NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball in 2026 across NBC and Peacock, providing NBA fans with three consecutive nights of national coverage across NBCUniversal platforms during the second half of the regular season.

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Townsquare VP Of Country Doug Montgomery Is Retiring

BMM Staff
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Townsquare VP Of Country Doug Montgomery Is Retiring

Doug Montgomery, Townsquare Media Vice President of Country Music Programming & Content, is retiring on July 31.

Montgomery has been with the company for eight years. He initially arrived to serve as Director of Content for its Grand Rapids, MI, cluster and oversee the Country content for the company.

Montgomery said, “I have been extremely blessed to spend my whole adult life getting to do what I dreamed of as a kid. Be the guy who picks the songs on the radio and entertains listeners every day.”

“From my first overnight shift at WJPD in Ishpeming, Michigan, I knew Country Radio was the avenue I wanted to pursue. Being a part of Country Music going to great heights throughout my career has been a great thrill. I am fortunate.”

Kurt Johnson, Townsquare Media SVP/Content & Programming, added, “Doug is second to none. He’s been an influential programmer for decades, and we’ve been very fortunate to have him lead our Country team for eight years. His impact in building Townsquare Country’s success will leave a legacy. We’ll miss him a lot, but we’re happy for him at the same time.”

Before moving crosstown to Townsquare, Montgomery spent over 20 years with iHeartMedia’s Country B93.7, was SVP for the cluster and format Brand Coordinator.

Montgomery with Keith Urban – Photo Facebook

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Indiana Fever Launch First Direct-To-Consumer Platform With Endeavor Streaming

BSM Staff
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Indiana Fever Launch First Direct-To-Consumer Platform With Endeavor Streaming

The Indiana Fever announced Thursday the launch of Fever Direct, the franchise’s first direct-to-consumer streaming service, providing fans with new ways to watch live and on-demand content. Partnering with Endeavor Streaming, Fever Direct is now available across web browsers, tablets, and mobile devices with season subscriptions priced at $29.99. Support for connected and smart TVs is expected in the near future.

“We are thrilled to be able to provide further access and greater opportunities for our fans to experience Fever basketball,” said Kelly Krauskopf, president of basketball and business operations for the Indiana Fever. “Whether at home or on-the-go, Fever Direct is another great option for our fans to watch our team, particularly those who have cut the cord or are looking to rewatch their favorite Fever games on replay.”

Subscribers will have access to up to 18 live regular season games, along with full-game replays. The service is available to fans residing within the Fever’s approved broadcast region across the Midwest. The Fever will open their 2025 WNBA season at home against the Chicago Sky on Saturday. However, the first game available on Fever Direct will be the team’s matchup against the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, May 20.

Fred Santarpia, president of Endeavor Streaming, said the launch underscores a growing trend in sports media. “Direct-to-consumer streaming represents a significant opportunity for teams like the Indiana Fever to not just serve existing fans in new ways, but to also reach new fans by offering frictionless experiences on the device of their choice,” he said. “We’re proud to partner with them to deliver a world-class platform for their fans.”

The service runs on Endeavor Streaming’s Vesper platform, a comprehensive streaming solution designed to deliver scalable, high-quality viewing experiences. In addition, Endeavor will provide business growth and advisory services to help the Fever expand their fan base.

Moreover, Endeavor Streaming previously has developed streaming offerings for major sports properties such as the Dallas Mavericks, University of Texas, Edmonton Oilers, and both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pirates through SportsNet Pittsburgh’s SNP 360 service. The company has also powered the WNBA League Pass since 2022.

The deal between the Fever and Endeavor Streaming was facilitated by Dan Granik and David Sternberg of Range Sports, a division of Range Media Partners and long-time consultants to Pacers Sports & Entertainment.

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Final ‘SportsCenter’ From Los Angeles Set to Air Monday with Linda Cohn, Stan Verrett Anchoring

BSM Staff
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Final ‘SportsCenter’ From Los Angeles Set to Air Monday with Linda Cohn, Stan Verrett Anchoring

The final edition of ESPN’s SportsCenter from the Los Angeles studios will be airing on Monday, May 19 featuring longtime anchors Linda Cohn and Stan Verrett. This will culminate a run of shows airing from the production facility that has presented episodes of the program since 2009.

SportsCenter anchor Stephen Nelson divulged the news in a post on X, also sharing that he had anchored his last version of the show from Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

In March, ESPN said in a statement to the Sports Business Journal, “Based on our current business needs, we are relocating the L.A.-based ‘SportsCenter’ and soccer studio shows to ESPN’s Bristol headquarters, including the limited number of employee positions related to these shows.”

While SportsCenter is moving back to its homebase in Connecticut, the Los Angeles Production Center located near Crypto.com Arena, the home of the Los Angeles Lakers, will remain open and continue to host ESPN’s NBA studio productions and provide office space to additional L.A.-based employees. As previously reported, the SportsCenter move away from LA to Bristol will affect 35 of the 229 employees based at the production center including Nelson

NBA studio programming includes NBA Today and NBA Countdown.

The Los Angeles facility first opened 16 years ago and was the location where the SportsCenter starring Stan Verrett and Neil Everett aired for many years. While Everett was let go by the network in 2023, Verrett continued to host the show from the locale. The status of Linda Cohn, who is the longest-tenured SportsCenter anchor at the company, also remains unknown.

An announcement about their futures has not been made at this time.

As previously reported by Dylan Byers of Puck, ESPN was planning to close its Los Angeles and South Street Seaport studios no later than this year. Details of any further moves at either location have not been announced, the latter of which houses studio shows such as Get Up, and First Take. 

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Salem Media Group Reports 12% Revenue Decline During 2025’s 1st Quarter

BNM Staff
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Salem Media Group has announced its first quarter earnings report, and the company saw a sharp decline from the previous year’s first quarter.

Revenue during the first three months of 2025 fell by 11.8%. Salem Media Group noted that its decline was primarily driven by a drop in the broadcast segment. That sector saw a decline of 13.6%, down to $39.8 million.

In total, the company saw $51.7 million in revenue during January, February, and March. That’s down from the $58.6 million it saw during the first quarter of 2024.

Digital revenue also fell from $10.7 million last year to $10.2 million. It also saw a slight drop in its publishing division from $1.8 million down to $1.6 million.

The quarterly loss seen by the broadcaster rose from $5.1 million last year to $7.1 million this year. It cited restructuring costs related to the sale of its Contemporary Christian formatted stations to Education Medial Foundation in cities like Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, and Los Angeles, among others. That sale followed the sale of three other stations — in Nashville, Honolulu, and Little Rock — in 2024.

Salem Media Group did not provide any further guidance on its expected performance in the upcoming quarters.

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670 The Score Announces Chicago Sky Radio Broadcast Schedule

BSM Staff
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670 The Score Announces Chicago Sky Radio Broadcast Schedule

670 The Score will broadcast seven select Chicago Sky WNBA basketball games on their air and streaming on the Audacy app, beginning with the team’s matchup against the New York Liberty next Thursday. The radio station made the announcement, listing the seven games as all home games for the Sky. Notably, this includes two home games played at the United Center against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.

Furthermore, the broadcasts will consist of a 15-minute pre-game program and a 10-minute postgame show following every game. The broadcasts will feature an all-female broadcasting team, including 670 The Score midday host Leila Rahimi.

In terms of personnel, Rahimi will be handling color commentary duties alongside Alyssa Bergamini and Kylen Mills, who will be handling the play-by-play of the broadcast. Mills, a Chicago native, has worked for the Pac-12 Network, Big Ten Network, and other broadcast entities in her career. Meanwhile, Bergamini is currently a part of the Chicago Bulls radio team and the BetMGM Network, while also serving as in-game host during Chicago White Sox home games.

Additionally, Rahimi was recently named the new lead host of Rahimi & Harris alongside co-host Marshall Harris. She replaced Dan Bernstein, who departed the station in March.

“It’s such a pleasure to be part of the broadcast crew for this,” said Rahimi in making the announcement on The Score. “To be able to promote this in such a way as a broadcast team really means a lot.”

The seven-game schedule will begin next Thursday with the Sky hosting the Liberty. Following that, the next broadcast is scheduled for Saturday, June 7 against Clark and the Indiana Fever. Moreover, 670 The Score will also air games on July 14 (vs. Minnesota), July 27 (vs. Indiana), August 7 (vs. Atlanta), August 23 (vs. Connecticut), and August 25 (vs. Las Vegas). All games will broadcast on 670 The Score and stream on the Audacy app. However, the July 27 game against the Fever will be broadcast on the station’s 104.3 FM HD-2 channel due to a conflict with the Chicago Cubs.

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Chris Berman Details How His Latest Contract Extension With ESPN Happened

BSM Staff
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Chris Berman Details How His Latest Contract Extension With ESPN Happened

When Chris Berman signed his contract extension with ESPN earlier this week, the agreement length would allow the 70-year-old ESPN personality to become the first talent to spend 50 years at the company. The longtime ESPN anchor has been closely associated with ESPN’s NFL coverage, beginning with the 1981 NFL Draft, and is slated to contribute to the coverage of ESPN’s first Super Bowl on February 14, 2027.

Moreover, Berman was a guest of The SI Media Podcast with Jimmy Traina and spoke about how the new contract came about with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro.

“Quite a while ago he said to me, ‘You got to be with us somehow for our first Super Bowl,’” said Berman. “I talked to him in the fall about it, and I went ‘I hope that still your thought.’ He goes absolutely.”

Additionally, Berman went on to explain how he was asked in a number of interviews if he would like to work with ESPN for 50 years, which got him thinking about making the ask to Pitaro.

“I said, ‘Wouldn’t that be kind of cool?’ His eyes lit up, and he goes yeah, that would be a thing,” explained Berman. “It really isn’t 70 (years old). It really didn’t have to be, ‘okay five more years or I’m not doing it.’ You’ve invited me to stay here till the first Super Bowl, that’s two more years. Let’s make it four and a half or five, or whatever the number was. So that really is the answer.”

Berman joined ESPN on October 1, 1979, and celebrated his 70th birthday on May 10. He is a six-time National Sportscaster of the Year and a member of several Halls of Fame, including the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, the National Sports Media Association (formerly NSSA) Hall of Fame, and the Cable Hall of Fame.

When it came to the idea of retirement, Berman noted that he has thought about it. However, he enjoys continuing to work for ESPN.

“It’s been a thought every time, but I’ve had such a good time doing NFL Primetime,” said Berman. “We talked about that at the time, and since then, I’ve had such a personally a good time.”

Furthermore, he is the recipient of many football honors, including the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is the longtime host of NFL PrimeTime, which continues in 2025 on ESPN+ and with postseason special editions on ESPN. In 2000, 2003, and 2006, Chris anchored ABC’s Super Bowl XXXIV, XXXVII, and XL pre-game shows.

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Chris Pickett Named APD/MD At 89.3 KSBJ Houston

BMM Staff
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Chris Pickett Named APD/MD At 89.3 KSBJ Houston

Chris Pickett has been named Assistant Program Director and Music Director at Christian AC 89.3 KSBJ in Houston.

Pickett arrives from Townsquare Boise, where his position was eliminated in April. (BMM 4/3)  He also served 16 years with iHeartMedia and its predecessors at AC Sunny 106.5 and Rhythmic Real 103.9 in Las Vegas.

Randy Fox, KSBJ Program Director, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Chris to the team. With many years of programming and on-air experience, he brings both a passion for music and God that will be a huge asset to not only KSBJ but Hope Media Group.”

Pickett added, “I would like to thank Joe Paulo, Tim Dukes, Randy Fox, Jeff Evans, Scott Herrold, and the entire team at Hope Media Group for the opportunity to live out my faith, both at home and at work. My family and I can’t wait to get to Houston and be a part of KSBJ’s mission to love Jesus, serve others, and spread hope!”

In addition to Boise and Las Vegas, other career stops include Colorado Springs and St. Cloud, MN.

Congratulate Pickett here. 

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