Kelly wins again — and how MSNBC has gone from winner to perennial loser on Twitter.

Kelly, Kelly — It was all Megyn on Tuesday as she won best hour and best day. That’s not really surprising anymore.  But what’s interesting is that it would have been completely surprising a year ago.  What happened?

First, here’s the other top shows for the day (as rated by “best hour”):

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Kelly didn’t just win — she’s in a league by herself. So how does she do it? How does she get nearly 3 times the buzz of her time-slot competitor, Rachel Maddow?  Certainly, Kelly’s getting more than 3x the ratings is the main reason.  But if we look at Twitter, we can see that MSNBC’s problem is deeper than that.  A year ago, Rachel Maddow was getting twice the mentions on Twitter that Kelly got. What’s happened in the course of a year?

Let’s look at how Kelly and Fox News worked Twitter on Tuesday:

  • Fox News sent out 12 tweets that mention The Kelly File.
  • Megyn Kelly sent out 18 tweets herself.

As a result:

  • The show had nearly 10K mentions throughout the day.
  • More than half (54%) of the show’s mentions are retweets.  That generates a lot of buzz without their fans having to do a lot of work.
  • 25 tweets made up over 20% of all tweets (because of retweets).
  • Retweets of Megyn Kelly or Fox News made up about 22% of all tweets

Fox News’ strategy is to have Megyn personally and the network corporately drive the conversation about her show non-stop.  This sets off a chain reaction that creates a huge volume of buzz.

Compare this to how Maddow and MSNBC work. On Tuesday:

  • MSNBC sent out NO tweets that mentioned her.
  • @Maddow sent out NO tweets.  (The Ed Show, by comparison, sent out 50 tweets on Tuesday — but also had no mentions by @MSNBC).
  • @MaddowBlog (why does she need a second account if the first is barely used?) sent out 3.
  • @MaddowApp (wait, she has a third account because the first two aren’t enough?) sent out 8 tweets.

To be clear, I didn’t just pick an anomalous day.  This is very typical. As a result:

  • The show had about 3.7K mentions throughout the day.
  • Retweets of @Maddow, @MaddowBlog, and @MaddowApp are about 10% of all tweets.

MSNBC’s Twitter strategy seems to be “talk amongst yourselves”. There’s no match being put to the kindling.  And as a result, for all intents and purposes, Rachel Maddow does not exist on Twitter.

This is symptomatic of a much larger problem at MSNBC.  Let’s look at what each network has been talking about over the past several weeks to see where they put their focus.  Here’s the tag cloud for @FoxNews:

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Fox News has been focusing on ISIS, Ebola, and the Kelly File with a little Hannity sprinkled in.  And it’s worked — Kelly and Hannity are doing great.

Here’s what MSNBC’s tag cloud has looked like:

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If the Global Citizen Festival were MSNBC’s marquee program,  it could be a disciplined focus on their lineup.  But since GCF was a one-off, all that social media work is useless now.  It’s a sunk cost in a now worthless investment.  In fact, apart from Ferguson, their focus seems to be on their one-off specials. @MSNBC makes essentially no effort to promote its own regular shows.

I would say that MSNBC’s social media strategy is diffuse, unfocused, and a failure, but that’s presuming they have a strategy.  MSNBC needs to learn how to use social media to protect its brand and grow its franchises.  Until then, it will be constantly outrun by its more agile competitor, Fox News.

Note that all times are US Eastern Time. See notes at end for further explanations. For earlier articles on cable news twitter ratings, please see this.

Cable News Twitter Ratings for 2014-10-14

Raw data for the day: 2014-10-14-ShowStats.csv

Top Shows for the day:

Category Mentions Show
Most Mentions During Hour 5769 Fox News: The Kelly File
Most Mentions During Day 9583 Fox News: The Kelly File

Ratings for individual time slots

Ratings for 12 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera America Tonight 0 86 0 51 160,952 68% 32%
CNN CNN International 262 4,321 215 3,428 119,208,342 55% 45%
Fox News The Kelly File 181 9,583 134 4,254 113,894,521 54% 46%
MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 259 3,675 153 1,920 10,653,742 46% 54%

Ratings for 1 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera Consider This 10 29 1 12 31,091 50% 50%
CNN CNN International 173 4,321 134 3,428 119,208,342 55% 45%
Fox News Hannity 263 7,503 174 4,368 66,103,186 59% 41%
MSNBC The Last Word w/Lawrence O’Donnell 40 2,085 36 1,295 10,285,366 37% 63%

Ratings for 2 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera Real Money with Ali Velshi 1 35 1 26 53,467 56% 44%
CNN CNN International 264 4,321 216 3,428 119,208,342 55% 45%
Fox News On The Record w/Greta Van Susteren 22 2,339 19 1,507 7,520,410 56% 44%
HLN Nancy Grace 8 670 7 432 1,151,974 29% 71%
MSNBC Hardball w/Chris Matthews 13 1,419 8 770 5,429,648 60% 40%

Ratings for 3 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 5 1,371 5 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
Al Jazeera Inside Story 0 10 0 5 14,522 33% 67%
CNN CNN International 305 4,321 282 3,428 119,208,342 55% 45%
Fox News RedEye 679 2,199 128 1,123 10,261,956 58% 42%
MSNBC All In w/Chris Hayes 31 4,259 17 2,063 31,437,481 56% 44%

Ratings for 4 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera America Tonight 0 86 0 51 160,952 68% 32%
CNN Early Start 1 1 1 1 85 100% 0%
Fox News The Five 0 12 0 10 25,664 100% 0%
MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 34 3,675 21 1,920 10,653,742 46% 54%

Ratings for 5 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera Real Money with Ali Velshi (3:30) 0 35 0 26 53,467 56% 44%
CNN Early Start 0 1 0 1 85 100% 0%
Fox News FoxFriendsFirst 68 136 45 89 1,203,808 72% 28%
MSNBC First Look (5-5:30) 1 1 1 1 52 100% 0%
MSNBC Way Too Early (5:30-6) 28 90 22 60 128,880 60% 40%

Ratings for 6 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 18 1,371 15 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
CNN New Day 118 4,941 82 4,420 74,930,941 62% 38%
Fox News Fox And Friends 426 2,093 277 1,332 17,212,218 59% 41%
HLN Morning Express w/Robin Meade 19 245 14 173 2,385,490 64% 36%
MSNBC Morning Joe 879 3,959 287 1,470 16,463,738 57% 43%

Ratings for 7 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 34 1,371 25 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
CNN New Day 233 4,941 168 4,420 74,930,941 62% 38%
Fox News Fox And Friends 357 2,093 240 1,332 17,212,218 59% 41%
HLN Morning Express w/Robin Meade 27 245 22 173 2,385,490 64% 36%
MSNBC Morning Joe 844 3,959 308 1,470 16,463,738 57% 43%

Ratings for 8 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 49 1,371 44 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
CNN New Day 257 4,941 199 4,420 74,930,941 62% 38%
Fox News Fox And Friends 300 2,093 205 1,332 17,212,218 59% 41%
HLN Morning Express w/Robin Meade 63 245 57 173 2,385,490 64% 36%
MSNBC Morning Joe 900 3,959 397 1,470 16,463,738 57% 43%

Ratings for 9 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 103 1,371 82 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
CNN News Room 13 123 10 43 139,889 82% 18%
Fox News America’s Newsroom 21 231 19 185 1,952,456 62% 38%
HLN Morning Express w/Robin Meade 47 245 25 173 2,385,490 64% 36%
MSNBC The Daily Run Down (Melvin) 63 89 42 59 119,643 54% 46%

Ratings for 10 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera Consider This 0 29 0 12 31,091 50% 50%
CNN News Room 11 123 6 43 139,889 82% 18%
Fox News America’s Newsroom 53 231 48 185 1,952,456 62% 38%
HLN Morning Express w/Robin Meade 17 245 15 173 2,385,490 64% 36%
MSNBC José Díaz-Balart 78 352 55 234 7,439,386 50% 50%

Ratings for 11 am

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 104 1,371 95 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
Al Jazeera Inside Story (11:30) 0 10 0 5 14,522 33% 67%
CNN @This Hour 81 3,500 62 3,419 24,309,565 67% 33%
Fox News Happening Now 24 227 18 159 4,863,538 63% 37%
HLN Morning Express w/Robin Meade 10 245 9 173 2,385,490 64% 36%
MSNBC News Nation w/ Tamron Hall 56 345 39 233 4,371,548 39% 61%

Ratings for 12 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 99 1,371 86 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
CNN Legal View w/Banfield 38 61 21 37 23,089 78% 22%
Fox News Outnumbered 599 2,185 336 1,344 11,664,716 70% 30%
HLN HLN Now 21 138 18 108 2,526,292 36% 64%
MSNBC Andrea Mitchell Reports 339 2,186 233 1,419 10,169,867 61% 39%

Ratings for 1 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 71 1,371 58 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
CNN Wolf 70 1,171 54 946 32,023,335 55% 45%
Fox News Happening Now 61 227 26 159 4,863,538 63% 37%
HLN HLN Now 11 138 10 108 2,526,292 36% 64%
MSNBC Ronan Farrow Daily 147 1,320 107 1,074 11,078,805 54% 46%

Ratings for 2 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 67 1,371 48 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
CNN News Room 6 123 6 43 139,889 82% 18%
Fox News The Real Story w/Gretchen Carlson 138 515 94 382 6,310,392 60% 40%
HLN HLN Now 17 138 13 108 2,526,292 36% 64%
MSNBC The Reid Report 367 1,042 117 490 2,475,520 42% 58%

Ratings for 3 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
CNN News Room 6 123 4 43 139,889 82% 18%
Fox News Shepard Smith Reporting 273 486 198 331 1,072,266 52% 48%
HLN HLN Now 9 138 7 108 2,526,292 36% 64%
MSNBC The Cycle 161 2,460 90 2,256 7,219,754 34% 66%
MSNBC The Cycle (w/ Host Accounts) 252 3,094 130 2,664 8,691,387 40% 60%

Ratings for 4 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 43 1,371 40 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
CNN The Lead w/Jake Tapper 152 1,827 113 1,369 8,375,548 59% 41%
Fox News Your World 103 566 87 417 1,714,151 61% 39%
HLN HLN Now 12 138 9 108 2,526,292 36% 64%
MSNBC Now w/Alex Wagner 132 341 80 236 2,963,532 65% 35%

Ratings for 5 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera Inside Story (5-5:30) 9 10 5 5 14,522 33% 67%
CNN The Situation Room 113 1,171 96 946 32,023,335 55% 45%
Fox News The Five 4 12 4 10 25,664 100% 0%
Fox News The Five w/Hosts 666 3,639 451 2,312 12,215,431 67% 33%
MSNBC The Ed Show 1,132 2,607 362 1,017 10,749,819 62% 38%

Ratings for 6 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 55 1,371 50 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
CNN The Situation Room (6 – 6:30) 380 1,171 333 946 32,023,335 55% 45%
Fox News Special Report w/Bret Baier 172 726 138 550 4,858,573 58% 42%
MSNBC PoliticsNation w/ Al Sharpton 29 72 26 64 711,679 54% 46%

Ratings for 7 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera Real Money with Ali Velshi 6 35 6 26 53,467 56% 44%
CNN Out Front w/Erin Burnett 322 1,139 194 826 77,450,863 62% 38%
Fox News On The Record w/Greta Van Susteren 628 2,339 445 1,507 7,520,410 56% 44%
HLN Jane Velez-Mitchell 0 1 0 1 4 0% 100%
MSNBC Hardball w/ Chris Matthews 663 1,419 320 770 5,429,648 60% 40%

Ratings for 8 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 85 1,371 76 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
CNN Anderson Cooper 360 1,043 3,966 775 2,964 120,624,294 39% 61%
Fox News The O’Reilly Factor 310 1,489 217 1,043 6,960,983 61% 39%
HLN Nancy Grace 354 670 195 432 1,151,974 29% 71%
MSNBC All In w/ Chris Hayes 1,796 4,259 640 2,063 31,437,481 56% 44%

Ratings for 9 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Fox News The Kelly File 5,769 9,583 2,292 4,254 113,894,521 54% 46%
HLN Dr Drew On Call 290 481 128 252 5,655,250 37% 63%
MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 1,010 3,675 433 1,920 10,653,742 46% 54%

Ratings for 10 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera Consider This 7 29 2 12 31,091 50% 50%
CNN CNN Tonight w/ Hosts 685 4,038 476 2,772 77,037,691 51% 49%
Fox News Hannity 2,116 7,503 1,263 4,368 66,103,186 59% 41%
MSNBC The Last Word w/Lawrence O’Donnell 880 2,085 451 1,295 10,285,366 37% 63%

Ratings for 11 pm

Network Show Twts Hour Twts Day UT Hour UT Day Reach Male Female
Al Jazeera News 60 1,371 49 1,032 2,757,529 60% 40%
CNN Anderson Cooper 360 272 3,966 207 2,964 120,624,294 39% 61%
Comedy Central The Daily Show (11-11:30) 337 3,801 289 2,955 14,789,433 56% 44%
Comedy Central The Colbert Report (11:30-12am) 299 2,246 270 2,009 12,528,159 55% 45%
Fox News The O’Reilly Factor 110 1,489 81 1,043 6,960,983 61% 39%
MSNBC All In w/Chris Hayes 244 4,259 155 2,063 31,437,481 56% 44%

 


Definition of terms used in this report:

  • Network: For the purposes of total network mentions, the count is the total unique tweets that mention any of the shows tracked on the network or the network’s general Twitter account (e.g., @CNN).
  • Mentions During Hour or Tweets Hour: The number of tweets that mention the show during the hour specified. For shows that are repeat later in the day, the first (and often live) showing usually garners the most mentions by a significant margin.
  • Mentions During day or Tweets Day: The total number of mentions a show received from midnight to midnight, eastern time.
  • Tweet Count: The number of tweets (including retweets) that mention a show.
  • Unique Tweeters (Also labeled ‘UT‘): The number of Twitter users who have sent one or more tweets mentioning a show. If a user sends more than one tweet, they still only count once. For individual shows, both the unique tweeters during an hour as well as throughout the day are shown.
  • Reach: A measure of the number of impressions a collection of tweets could make. For each tweet that is sent, I add up how many people follow the person tweeting it — how many timelines that tweet will show up in. Thus, if network A has 10,000 mentions from people with an average of 10 followers, the reach will be 100,000. On the other hand, if network B has 10,000 mentions from people with an average of 100 followers, the reach will be 1,000,000. So network B has much greater reach: tweets mentioning network B will potentially be seen 10 times as often as tweets about network A. There’s no guarantee that that many people actually see or read the tweet; in fact, it’s probably safe to say a very small fraction do. For individual shows, reach is only calculate on the entire day’s tweets: there’s no point in assuming that people read the tweets in real time.
  • Male / Female: An estimate of the demographics of a show’s audience. Note that this number is an imprecise estimate.

Cable News Twitter Ratings are still experimental. If you have any suggestions, find any errors, or have any questions, please feel free to contact me at admin@socialseer.com

For further discussion of how these stats are calculated, please see this blog post. Especially the part about how I determine the gender of Twitter users.