MSNBC axes Ronan Farrow’s show

MSNBC is canceling Ronan Farrow’s daily talk show, as it seeks to improve its ratings.

The cable news channel is also dropping “The Reid Report,” another afternoon show hosted by Joy Reid, a network representative told The Hill.

{mosads}The programs will reportedly be replaced by a new two-hour news show hosted by Thomas Roberts in a move aimed at shifting the network’s daily lineup towards more news-centric programming,

Both shows had been plagued by low ratings — Deadline Hollywood reports that “Ronan Farrow Daily” grabbed 27 percent lower ratings than the network’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” had in the same slot a year earlier. The ratings for “The Reid Report” dropped 23 percent.

“Ronan Farrow Daily” also significantly underperformed within the all-important 25-54 demographic. For the show on Feb. 3, 11,000 viewers from that age group tuned into Farrow’s show.

CNN scored 154,000 viewers from that demographic, and Fox News attracted 202,000. Al Jazeera America, which is not included on some standard cable packages, had 22,000 viewers from that demographic on that day. 

The MSNBC representative said that, with the move, the network will feature “news-focused” coverage from 9 a.m. with Jose Diaz-Balart’s “The Rundown” through Roberts’ new show.

Both Farrow and Joy Reid will remain at the network.

Farrow, the son of actress Mia Farrow, will focus on prime-time specials with one-on-one interviews and serve as a special correspondent for the network. Reid shifts to become a national correspondent and will appear on various MSNBC shows. She also will be the first dedicated reporter for NowThisNews, which is partnering with the network on a social-media focused news platform.