Posted on 01/29/2016 10:56:34 AM PST by House Atreides
Donald Trump may have been conspicuously absent, but Thursday night's Republican debate on Fox News Channel nevertheless scored a 8.4 rating and 12.5 million viewers, according to early numbers from Nielsen. That's higher than the returns for the last Republican debate, Jan. 14 on sister net Fox Business Network, and marks the No. 2 telecast in FNC history.
Meanwhile, all the other cable news networks were covering Trump's competing event in Iowa, during which Trump boasted he raised $5 million for veteran's charities. Those other cable news networks, neither of which blanketed the time period with the event, averaged a respective 1.76 million viewers (CNN) and 1.02 million viewers (MSNBC) between 9 and 11 p.m. ET.
(Excerpt) Read more at hollywoodreporter.com ...
And I was really surprised that the viewers INCREASED over the last (January 14) Republican debate. IMPRESSIVE!
[averaged a respective 1.76 million viewers (CNN) and 1.02 million viewers (MSNBC) between 9 and 11 p.m. ET]
Because most of the viewers changed channels to CSPAN when the commentators started interrupting.
Posted elsewhere, but I love the spin.
They beat their own off-network, so therefore ratings are up.
They didn’t meet expectations, not by a long shot.
Barely half what FNC got last time.
And they did not beat CNNs last debate ratings.
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/fox-trump-debate-lowest/2016/01/29/id/711838/
“The first Republican presidential debate of the season without front-runner Donald Trump generated smaller viewer interest than all but one of this cycle’s prior GOP gatherings, according to preliminary Nielsen estimates — but still drew four times as many viewers as Trump’s competing event.
In the metered-market overnights, which represent 56 of the nation’s largest markets, Fox News Channel’s debate from Iowa averaged an 8.4 household rating. This is up vs. the 7.4 overnight rating for the most recent GOP debate, on Fox Business Network earlier this month, but it stands as the second lowest-rated of the six Republican gatherings this cycle.”
Lucy, somebody not telling the truth here...
Ping
Ping
Ping
FNC reaches about 20% more households than FNC, so debate viewership is about a draw from that perspective, but still less than half of the first FNC debate.
Viewership increased compared te last debate b/c not all cable carriers carry FBN. But don’t let that take away from your giddy goosebumps over His High Holiness Saint Rafael Cruz of Manitoba.
It was a much better debate for Trump’s absence.
Isn’t that still half the viewers from the first debate?
“Because most of the viewers changed channels to CSPAN when the commentators started interrupting.”
Yep. that’s what i did. and cspan is unrated for viewership.
Exactly!
Shameless liars strike again
Lying by omission
Last debate was on Fox Business. Fox Business reaches many many few households then Fox News
1st Fox News debate got 24 million. This one got just over half that. For Fox News to only do about the same rating wise as Fox Business is a rating disaster.
The FBN debate isn’t a useful comparison because they don’t have comparable audience. Lots of people don’t get FBN.
Still, it shows Trump’s exit didn’t make much of a difference.
Which was good for CRuz IMO as he had a good night overall after a somewhat rough start.
And also....what about One America????/
“And I was really surprised that the viewers INCREASED over the last (January 14) Republican debate. IMPRESSIVE!”
No, put into perspective it is not at all impressive.
The first Fox News debate got 22 million; last night’s debate was a decrease of 9 million viewers or a 41% drop.
The January 14 debate was on Fox Business, and had the lowest viewership of all the debates - BECAUSE Fox Business is not included in the lower tiers of cable and satellite channel lineups. Far less people had access to Fox Business. For the first Fox Business debate, the channel was unbundled (ie, available). For the debate you speak of, it was not - therefore less people could watch it.
BUT ALL channel lineups contain Fox News. That it barely exceeded the Fox Business debate means a lot of people CHOSE not to watch it.
It was the 2nd lowest rated debate out of 7.
Nice try, though.
Fox promised advertisers 15 million viewers before Trump dropped out and the debate advertising costs were based on the 15 million viewers projection.
So today Fox are having to give no-cost advertising spots to their debate advertisers to make up for the 25% audience shortfall versus their guarantee.
The 25% audience shortfall is costing Fox big bucks today.
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