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Obama won, now what does Maddow’s future hold?

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The left-leaning host of an MSNBC show sees a ratings drop, but remains committed to asking the tough questions.


When MSNBC’s ‘The Rachel Maddow Show’ debuted during the historic campaign of Barack Obama, the program’s ratings soared and made its host a breakout star on cable.

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But as the president’s administration nears its 100-day milestone, Maddow’s show - like most cable programs that traffic in political talk and chatter - has seen its numbers cool. March was the lowest-rated month so far for Maddow with her numbers falling from an average high of 1.9 million viewers to just slightly over 1.1 million.

The road to regain viewers would seem an especially challenging one for Maddow. Politics, not to mention television, thrives on conflict, but how much of that will there be with a left-leaning host in a time of a left-leaning president? Maddow isn’t worried.

‘My job of asking questions and being critical doesn’t stop depending on who is in the White House,’ said the 35-year-old host. ‘My main concern is keeping the quality of the show high. We don’t debate the ratings very much.’

Read more: Obama won, now what does Maddow’s future hold?

-- By Yvonne Villarreal

Photo: Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times

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