It was reported earlier today that last night’s debate ratings were abysmal compared to 2016, but those were just preliminary numbers. The ratings were actually much higher than initially reported:
CNN MONEY – More than 65 million people watched the first debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden Tuesday night.
The television audience for the debate was down from the first debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016, but it was higher than almost every other debate in recent years.
Tuesday’s clash was the biggest event on American TV since the Super Bowl last February.
Preliminary Nielsen ratings showed an average audience of roughly 64.7 million viewers across eight channels for the entirety of Tuesday’s prime time event.
The preliminary ratings include only Americans who watched at home on television. An unknown number of people live-streamed the debate on the internet, listened on the radio, and watched in other ways, which means the total audience easily surpassed 65 million.
Finalized Nielsen TV ratings figures are set to be released later in the day on Wednesday.
When the live stream ratings are finally tallied, I doubt this will end up as high as the 84 million that watched the first debate in 2016. But 65 million plus is still terrific.
Trump is incredibly happy with the ratings, as his ALL CAPS tweet announces to everyone:
HIGHEST CABLE TELEVISION RATINGS OF ALL TIME. SECOND HIGHEST OVERALL TELEVISION RATINGS OF ALL TIME. Some day these Fake Media Companies are going to miss me, very badly!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2020