MS NOW Exec Says Viewers Are Growing, Not Tired

Mark Lazarus, the CEO of Versant Media, stated on Tuesday that MS NOW viewers are not experiencing the same fatigue seen at rival networks. He made these remarks to investors while discussing the company's performance against the backdrop of recent market shifts.

The comments followed a statement from Lachlan Murdoch, the CEO of Fox Corp. On Monday, Murdoch said that Fox News audiences were suffering from viewer fatigue. He noted that this weariness contributed to lower ratings in the third quarter and in October. Murdoch attributed the drop to a series of difficult news stories, including U.S. flooding and the assassination of Charlie Kirk. He explained that viewers are not switching channels but are simply watching less television.

Lazarus positioned MS NOW as an alternative for those tired of other coverage. He said he believes some viewers are leaving other networks to try MS NOW. He added that these audiences are spending more time with the channel because they see value in its programming. Lazarus also noted that the same growth trend is visible at CNBC, which is also part of Versant Media.

The executives represent different political audiences. Fox News caters to a conservative base, which may be reacting to polls suggesting Republicans will lose seats in the House and Senate. MS NOW attracts a more liberal audience that may be encouraged by those same projections. Lazarus described the upcoming Election Day coverage as a major event for the news organization. He called it the Super Bowl for the news business and predicted continued audience growth.

Fox News still commands a much larger audience than MS NOW. In the third quarter, Fox News averaged 2.06 million total viewers in primetime. MS NOW averaged 930,000 viewers during the same period. Among the 25-to-54 demographic, Fox News drew 183,000 viewers. MS NOW drew 84,000 viewers in that group.

The gap is narrowing as trends diverge. Fox News primetime averages fell 17% among total viewers and nearly 25% in the key demographic. MS NOW primetime averages rose 16% among total viewers. In the 25-to-54 group, MS NOW saw a 27.3% increase. Murdoch said Fox News Media has a playbook to handle such trends and does not view its rivals as true peers.

Lazarus said he does not currently see any fatigue with MS NOW or CNBC audiences. He characterized the viewer base as active and growing. The company will continue to monitor these numbers as the election season progresses.