Since the first two factors are out of MSNBC’s control, let’s look at factor #3 in the form of:

Chris Hayes…the 8:00 PM host who may ultimately be mentioned in the same breath as The Chevy Chase Show. As you may have heard, Hayes’ numbers have been abysmal (the lowest ratings MSNBC has seen at 8:00 PM since 2006; recently beaten by Bill O’Reilly by a 10-to-1 margin). Consequently, Maddow’s once-respectable ratings have taken a direct hit partially due to the small audiences Hayes is handing her.

So here’s what we have…

• A struggling show at 5:00 PM being repeated at 7:00 PM
• A somewhat-new 8:00 PM show (Hayes) weighing down the network’s primetime lineup and especially its biggest star (Maddow)
• A politics-only network falling to 4th place with no major election in sight to right the ship