Posted on 08/07/2015 12:27:53 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Fox's GOP debate was watched by 24 million viewers on Thursday night, according to Nielsen data, making it the highest-rated primary debate in television history.
The event, which featured Donald Trump in his first debate, was also the highest rated telecast in the nearly 20 year history of the Fox News Channel, a spokeswoman said.
Of the 24 million viewers, 7.9 million were in the key advertising demographic of 25 to 54 year olds.
The ratings, which were delivered by Nielsen on Friday afternoon, shattered even the rosiest expectations for the beginning of debate season.
The numbers from Thursday night's two hour debate tripled the largest audience for any previous debate.
For perspective, the debate's audience easily exceeded the David Letterman farewell show (13.7 million viewers) and virtually tied the most watched "Sunday Night Football" game last season, the Dallas Cowboys versus Philadelphia Eagles game which drew 24.3 million viewers.
Trump is a known ratings magnet. His reality show "The Celebrity Apprentice" used to reach 20 million viewers a week, but it has slipped over the years, averaging 6 to 8 million viewers for recent seasons.
Now, through the debate process, it seems, Trump's ratings are back up.
There was also a surge -- though much smaller surge -- in viewership for the undercard debate at 5 p.m.
The ratings are good news not only for Fox but for other media organizations that are sponsoring Republican debates. The "Trump show," as some have called it, seems likely to continue into the fall.
The next debates are set for September 16 (on CNN) and October 28 (on CNBC).
(Excerpt) Read more at channel3000.com ...
....and what I have been reading, five minutes into the first question, the t.v. sets were turned off....
And that’s not even counting the millions watching it online on FreeTvAll.
1/3 of time to moderators. Most time overall went to Megyn second time Trump.
RE: five minutes into the first question, the t.v. sets were turned off....
Actually I thought the first question was a TEASER that compelled people to be GLUED to the TV set because they started asking themselves: “What else are they going to ask Trump?”
We watched live stream on SkyNews website, but Fox cut them off at the last 15 min for © violation.
Haven’t had cable TV in years.
Just saying what my friends and neighbors are saying...in fact one of my neighbors came over and had a cup of tea and was so disappointed at fox that she couldn’t watch it...
Everything I’ve read today and heard on bits and pieces of the news I have say that fox did a very disappointing disservice to the candidates....
No doubt the Fox Torquemadas will claim credit along with management, but the draw was Trump. No Trump, no big audience.
“No Trump, no big audience.”
Bingo. So Fox gets high ratings off of him, while slamming him at the same time.
Last night was likely the apogee of Fox’s popularity.
Their unprofessional behavior and obvious Establishment Elite bias is going to cost them a a bunch of their loyal viewers, and even more of their viewers who just watch FOX because they seemed to be ‘Fair and Balanced’ compared to their leftist competition.
Fox has truly earned the Faux label the lefties hung on them 15 years ago.
7.9 million were in the key advertising demographic of 25 to 54 year olds
With younger people more and more in debt, not participating or clearly delaying entering into the economy, working less, not buying home, etc., when is Nelson going to redefine the key demographics?
Jon Stewart ‘DAILY SHOW’ Farewell Gets 3.5M Viewers...
That has got to hurt his ego to lose by such a large margin to a bunch of political candidates.
Maybe Jon can host the democrat debate. It will be him asking the only candidate Hillary Clinton hard ball questions like “Why are republicans mean to you?”
Exactly what I was thinking - Faux News. They went for ratings and lost credibility as a serious news venue.
Also they have been slobbering all over Kasich ever since he entered. He got soft ball questions, he was omitted from Common Core question, and he got more time than most. Ted Cruz was ignored for 40 minutes.
Sorry for the delayed reply....
Kasich/Fiorino is the fallback position for the Establishment Elite if ¡JEB! flames out.
They see those two as the most ‘electible’ yet pliable candidates to do their bidding. They would have gone with Rubio for their backup, but realized that he is too despised by enough of the ‘base’ for his Amnesty shenanigans to get elected.
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