Rachel’s big ratings have little political impact

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

 By Silvio Canto, Jr.

Image result for rachel maddow cartoons
We just saw that Rachel Maddow is # 1 in cable news this week. She is reaching about 3 million people every night, according to the latest numbers:     
The MSNBC host just hit a milestone for MSNBC, with her 9 P.M. hour, “The Rachel Maddow Show,” finishing the third quarter of 2017 as the No. 1 cable news show on television.
It’s the first time any MSNBC show has finished first in the Nielsen ratings for an entire quarter.
Maddow hit her highest ratings among total viewers (2.7 million) and in the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults 25-54 (606,000). 
That represents an increase of 75% compared to the third quarter of 2016 (total viewers), and 65% (adults 25-54). 
Well, that’s good news for Rachel Maddow’s bank account and some advertisers who don’t mind being associated with “The Anti-Trump Hour” of cable TV.
Beyond that, it has zero impact on our politics.
Maddow reaches about 3 million people every night who tune in to feed their anti-Trump fantasies and to hear every crazy conspiracy theory going around the websites.  Her viewers do not include anyone who is seriously interested in learning anything or engaging in political discourse.
I’ve encountered some of her viewers.    
They call Trump a racist but cannot explain why no one called Trump a racist when he was donating money to Democrats, Jesse Jackson, or the Clinton Foundation.
They call Trump a dictator but cannot explain why the Trump police has not knocked on their door and taken them away to a political prison.
Maddow’s place is where the silly people meet. It is the political equivalent of X-rated films and not much more.
Unlike “The O’Reilly Factor,” a show that started under Clinton and ended under Trump, the Maddow show has no serious debate. O’Reilly invited top guests from both sides. They went back and forth on the matters of the day and got you to think about both sides.
Maddow does not do anything like that. She puts “red meat” on the table and then watches the left eat it like hungry wolves.    
How long will Maddow’s magic last? I don’t know, but don’t be surprised if she suddenly fizzles. It’s hard to stay on top by just being outrageous and irresponsible.
Here is the bottom line: Maddow has not added a single vote to the Democrats. Everyone watching her is already committed to the anti-Trump effort. As Wesley Pruden said, Trump Derangment Syndrome can only take so far!
P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.

www.laradioenlared.com

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