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Closing the tabs …

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Ed: We are not worthy. And we can’t possibly be this lucky. 

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As for what happens next, the best thing“SpinCo (yes, we’re going to keep calling it that) has going for it are its non-entertainment assets — MSNBC and CNBC. While MSNBC’s ratings post-election have taken a dive, there’s a good chance the numbers will rebound once The Trump Show has its second season premiere in January and progressive viewers emerge from mourning. Likewise, given the chaos Trump’s White House could unleash on the economy, CNBC will continue to be must-see for a niche audience of very wealthy folks. NBC News will of course remain under the control of NBC (this not be spun off), but as of now there are short-term provisions which will let it provide resources to both CNBC and MSNBC. Long term, however, nothing is certain — including whether CNBC and MSNBC will even get to keep their names.

Ed: The short-term licensing of NBC News content is going to have negligible impact on shareholder value. CNBC has its own reporting sources, and the other SpinCo channels have their own dedicated content. 

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Ed: I would bet that their audience will start getting more of it from BlueSky, too.

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The fallout at MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” continued to worsen this week after co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski told viewers on Monday that they met in person with President-elect Donald Trump.

Viewership fell to a new low Wednesday — just two days after the MSNBC duo said they trekked to the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. to “restart communications” with Trump after years of being highly critical of him, stunning their left-leaning audience.

According to Nielsen data, the MSNBC duo delivered their lowest-rated program since 2021 in the advertiser-coveted 25 to 54-year old demographic, cratering 41% on the demo and 16% in total viewers since the hosts announced their meeting.

Ed: We may have seen this data in other posts, but it’s worth noting here for the impact on SpinCo’s value at offering. 

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The Ankler reported Thursday that Maddow renegotiated for a $25 million annual salary for the next five years for hosting “The Rachel Maddow Show” on Mondays. She had been raking in $30 million.

She will also reportedly be producing podcasts and documentaries for the network.

“This is a difficult time and they needed to keep her,” one executive told The Ankler. “No one else can do what she does. You can’t build a brand like it overnight.”

Ed: That’s still a massive salary for a spinoff property to carry. I’m surprised that NBCUniversal even negotiated a contract at all, given the pending dump of MSNBC. Maddow is their most talented prime-time host, but she’s also one of the primrose-path brigade that just alienated half of their audience. 

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Ed: A couple of weeks old, but still a good example of the value issues SpinCo faces.

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The Washington Post was on track to lose $77 million this year even before a mass boycott erupted over its decision not to endorse a presidential candidate, New York magazine reported.

“The level of anger is through the roof, and fear is also through the roof,” one Post staffer said.

Ed: Maybe Elon will buy WaPo from Bezos! Naah … but it would be fun to watch.