The ratings for Megyn Kelly's first week as an NBC host are in, and they are likely to be a disappointment for the network. Megyn Kelly Today debuted last Monday with 2.9 million viewers, dropped to 2.3 million Wednesday, then recovered slightly for an average of 2.5 million viewers, reports USA Today. That's down 12% from last year for the 9am time slot and down 24% among ages 25 to 54. It's worth noting that last year was an election year, which might have helped the numbers. Kelly's ratings were on par with the time slot's ratings just before she took over, notes the New York Times.
Kelly won't be network execs' only concern. NBC's Today at 8am and Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda at 10am were also down 8% and 7%, respectively. The numbers for the show seen as Kelly's main competitor, ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan, aren't out yet, but it's a safe bet the show will beat Kelly's. The ABC show averaged 2.8 million viewers the week before Kelly's debut, notes the Times. (More Megyn Kelly stories.)