Culture MSNBC Beats Fox in Ratings for First Time in 17 Years MSNBC averaged 1,558,000 total viewers between Dec. 17 to 21. MSNBC edged out Fox News in key ratings for the first time in 17 years. (Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) By Ariel Scotti / December 27, 2018 10:25 am Thanks for reading InsideHook. Sign up for our daily newsletter and be in the know.