Megyn Kelly's NBC Journey: A Rocky Ride And Its Impact On Ratings

Alright folks, let’s talk about Megyn Kelly. You know, the powerhouse who made waves at Fox News before her tenure at NBC turned into, well, a bit of a rollercoaster. It’s no secret that her time at NBC ended on a rocky note, especially after her infamous on-air defense of Halloween blackface. That moment, my friends, led to the cancellation of her daily show, Megyn Kelly Today, and her impending departure from the network. But here’s the kicker—NBC seems to be doing just fine without her. In fact, the third hour of the Today franchise, now hosted by some familiar faces like Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, Al Roker, and Savannah Guthrie, has actually seen an uptick in ratings. Not a massive one, but enough to make people sit up and take notice.

Megyn's Exit: A Bump in the Road or a Strategic Move?

Now, according to a report from The Daily Beast, the week right after Megyn left the show saw a five percent increase in viewership, jumping from 2.5 million viewers in her final week to 2.6 million. And guess what? There was also a 10 percent rise in women viewers aged 18-48, and a six percent increase in women aged 25-54. These numbers don’t just tell us about the change in ratings—they reveal a lot about Megyn’s appeal, or lack thereof, to certain demographics. Andrew Tyndall, a television news analyst, summed it up pretty well when he said, “That absolutely comes as no surprise at all. She was a speed bump placed right in the middle of a four-hour block of programming, dismantling the sense of teamwork on that set and the flow that will get you all the way through from the hard news at 7 a.m. to the light talk through 11 o’clock.”

The Controversy and Criticism: A Turning Point

When Megyn Kelly first made her way to NBC, she was brought in with a lot of hype to host a prime-time news magazine. But unfortunately, that show only lasted a few episodes before getting the ax due to low viewership. Then came her stint on Today, where she just couldn’t deliver the kind of ratings NBC was hoping for. Enter Bill O’Reilly, another Fox News alumnus, who had some choice words about her blackface defense. He told the Washington Examiner, “I was surprised that Ms. Kelly did not understand… the horrible history of blackface in this country. That this technique, if you will, was used to marginalize, denigrate, and mock blacks. That was its primary use. So you can’t justify it by saying you were a kid and it wasn’t a big deal. It was a big deal.”

Bill went on to say that while the controversy could have been weathered, there was another factor at play: “NBC wanted out and they found a way.”

What’s Next for Megyn?

So, what’s on the horizon for Megyn Kelly? Well, as of now, no one really knows. But one thing’s for sure—her time at NBC will go down in history as a chapter filled with highs, lows, and plenty of drama.

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