In a TV shakeup of significant proportions, Fox News firebrand Megyn Kelly announced she was leaving her post on the network in early 2017 to join NBC News. Later that year, she took over hosting the third hour of the Today show, which was subsequently renamed Megyn Kelly Today. The former attorney also hosts a primetime newsmagazine, Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly. While ratings for Megyn Kelly Today have not been gargantuan, the host has offered her perspective on how things are going. This is what she had to say:
In my experience, it takes a show about a year to find its sea legs, to figure out who it is, and that's true of me too. In morning television, it takes a while to change an audience's viewing habits, and so I have to earn the trust of the audience, and I'm willing to work for it. . . . I'm just grateful I've been given a long runway to develop that relationship [with viewers].
Megyn Kelly provided those insights in an interview with Variety. Kelly's thoughts are in line with what an NBC executive goes on to tell the publication regarding the show's progress in the ratings. Morning TV can be rough, which is probably why it is inspiring a new TV series. Megyn Kelly Today has some stiff ratings competition in time slot competitor Live with Kelly and Ryan on ABC. As a side note, Kelly's hour of Today has not consistently outperformed the average numbers of the one it replaced.
Viewers of Megan Kelly Today have undoubtedly witnessed a shift in content over the course of the year. As Kelly indicates in the interview, every new show has to get a sense of what works and what does not. That is true, especially given that many shows' endurance is somewhat dependent on the producers' willingness to change with the realization of what an audience wants to see. The same rule pretty much applies to every show.
Of course, series such as Live with Kelly and Ryan have established a healthy run in the ratings by giving the audience what they are comfortable with. It is also anchored by two people, whereas Megyn Kelly Today relies more on its namesake and her guests. Both series rely on the personality of their hosts, which can play a considerable role in the reception to a show.
For now, Megyn Kelly Today will continue to evolve, though it is not entirely clear what into. Kelly also says that she will not host celebrities who only want to promote their latest project unless they have something more personal to offer. That is quite a departure from what other morning shows tend to do.
NBC clearly has faith in Megyn Kelly. When they welcomed her to the network, they gave her two shows, not one. As for Megan Kelly Today, it airs weekday mornings starting at 9 a.m. ET on NBC. To find out what's coming up in the evenings, check out our extensive preview of what's happening after dark with our midseason and summer premiere schedules.
