CNN Says 47.9 Million Watched Presidential Debate; TV Viewership Drops Considerably From 2020
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 27: U.S. President Joe Biden (R) and Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump participate in the CNN Presidential Debate at the CNN Studios on June 27, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. President Biden and former President Trump are facing off in the first presidential debate of the 2024 campaign. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
CNN said that 47.9 million watched the presidential debate across TV platforms on Thursday night, according to Nielsen Fast National data.
A more complete picture of the debate audience is expected later this afternoon.
As of now, the debate audience was down considerably from 2020, when 73.1 million tuned into the first debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. That debate took place in the fall, when viewership is traditionally higher.
The debate was seen not just on CNN, but across rival cable, broadcast and streaming networks that picked up its simulcast.
Of the total audience, CNN said that 11.4 million watched on CNN, CNN.com, CNN Max, CNNE and HLN.
More to come.