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Ratings down sharply in second presidential debate Ratings down sharply in second presidential debate
(35 minutes later)
Have TV viewers made up their minds when it comes to the presidency? Across the six major networks that aired last night’s presidential debate, viewership was down sharply from the more than 83m viewers who tuned in 27 September to watch the first televised face-off between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. Have TV viewers made up their minds when it comes to the presidency? Across the six major networks that aired last night’s presidential debate, viewership was down sharply from the more than 83 million viewers who tuned in 27 September to watch the first televised face-off between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.
The total across the three major cable and three broadcast networks showing the 90-minute debate came to more than 60m, while millions more watched on streaming services including Hulu and YouTube. The total across the three major cable and three broadcast networks showing the 90-minute debate came to more than 60 million, while millions more watched on streaming services including Hulu and YouTube.
Part of the reason for the falloff was certainly because NBC broadcast an NFL game instead of the debate. Most of the might-have-been NBC loyalists went to CBS, which had the largest number of viewers by a comfortable margin with 16.5m. ABC came in second with 11.5m, followed by CNN with 11.3m, Fox News (9.9m), Fox broadcast (5.6m) and MSNBC (5.5m). Part of the reason for the falloff was certainly because NBC broadcast an NFL game instead of the debate. Most of the might-have-been NBC loyalists went to CBS, which had the largest number of viewers by a comfortable margin with 16.5 million. ABC came in second with 11.5 million, followed by CNN with 11.3 million, Fox News (9.9 million), Fox broadcast (5.6 million) and MSNBC (5.5 million).
But viewership was also down sharply on ABC – even with the network’s Martha Raddatz co-moderating – and Fox News, suggesting that people who had watched the previous debate had lost interest or perhaps the will to sit through it. Trump’s tirade about beauty queen Alicia Machado was the most talked-about moment of the first debate and appears to have prompted a surge in voter registrations in areas of the US with large Hispanic populations. In turn, some viewers may have found the initial debate too distasteful to make time for a second outing.But viewership was also down sharply on ABC – even with the network’s Martha Raddatz co-moderating – and Fox News, suggesting that people who had watched the previous debate had lost interest or perhaps the will to sit through it. Trump’s tirade about beauty queen Alicia Machado was the most talked-about moment of the first debate and appears to have prompted a surge in voter registrations in areas of the US with large Hispanic populations. In turn, some viewers may have found the initial debate too distasteful to make time for a second outing.
The Washington Post streamed the debate live on Facebook, and C-Span and PBS aired it on cable and broadcast respectively; C-Span does not report its viewership, and ratings for PBS and the Spanish-language broadcast and cable networks were not yet available.The Washington Post streamed the debate live on Facebook, and C-Span and PBS aired it on cable and broadcast respectively; C-Span does not report its viewership, and ratings for PBS and the Spanish-language broadcast and cable networks were not yet available.