It's official! Rachel Maddow is a star

Forgive me -- it's not every year I get to take credit for my foresight. But I had to crow, seeing as how the first profile of Rachel Maddow to appear in a MSM outlet appeared right here, to read Brian Stelter's account in the New York Times today offering confirmation that it wasn't just a fluke. Maddow is holding onto Keith Olbermann's audience, and sometimes even exceeding his ratings, when she takes the air on MSNBC each night.

Stelter reports that Maddow has doubled the audience from the time slot's previous occupant Dan Abrams. To this sunny scenario Stelter adds a few cautionary clouds:

Ms. Maddow and every other cable news anchor are beneficiaries of the heightened interest in the presidential campaign. Fox News Channel’s "O’Reilly Factor," the highest-rated hour on cable news, reached an average of four million viewers in September; it had two million during the same period a year ago.

Still, Ms. Maddow’s ascent is unique in its swiftness. Her program immediately drew almost half a million viewers ages 25 to 54 in a slot where a quarter of a million is more common. Even if her ratings decline after the election — and history suggests they are likely to — Mr. Griffin contended that Ms. Maddow’s performance confirmed that cable news was "a three-way race now."

Around the TV Barn household, Rachel's show has become required viewing, Keith's not so much. Mrs. TVB thinks there's just as much attitude on the Maddow show but she likes the female skew of the guests and the somewhat less vein-popping tone to it all.

And in an update to Sunday's story -- the Times ignored her for months, now it can't get enough of her -- Maddow reports she is finally getting a TV set in her home in western Massachusetts so that the companion can watch her each night.

Finally, my apologies once again to the Rick Sanchez Fan Club; I will write about your cyberhunk someday.

Previously on TV Barn: I profiled Rachel Maddow, which led to her getting a TV show, and then I talked to her about my getting her a TV show. Also, I discussed MSNBC and its demographic appeal, was fair and balanced toward Fox, and profiled Olbermann once or twice.