Presidential Debate Ratings By Year

Fox news tops ratings deadline 84 million is the number to beat for tonight s debate to set a ratings record new york times.

Presidential debate ratings by year. Presidential debate rating chart notes oct. The debate viewership number to beat was 80 6 million set back in 1980 when jimmy carter and ronald reagan debated just once before the election. In 2012 67 2 million watched the opening debate. The two candidates october 13 1960 debate which drew 61 of all u s.

Out of home viewing as well as connected tv ctv viewing are included in the 2020 total figures for this advisory. There were no televised presidential debates for the years 1972 1968 and 1964. Only two debates had a bigger average audience than tuesday night. The ratings are in.

The first presidential debate between president trump and democratic nominee joe biden was watched by 29 million viewers on broadcast networks abc cbs nbc and fox marking a 35 percent drop from. With the network s chris wallace moderating the trump friendly network notched 17 8 million viewers a gain of. Presidential debate viewership falls from 2016 to 73 1 million. The big ratings winner in this year s debate however was fox news channel.

The first 2016 debate drew its 84 4 million viewers across 13 networks and had the biggest audience in the 60 year history of televised debates. 28 1980 in their only televised bout of the year jimmy carter and ronald reagan set a still standing presidential debate record with 80 6 million total viewers. More recently the first obama romney debate in. Nielsen s records go back to 1976.

16 1996 does not include fox because of a mlb playoff game. Notes for 2020 debates. The 2016 face off between trump and clinton and the sole debate of the 1980 cycle when 80 6.