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ABC’s ‘World News Tonight’ Ratings Tank After Hosts’ ‘One-Sided’ Moderating Of Trump-Harris Debate
Daily Caller ^ | September 17, 2024 | Harold Hutchison

Posted on 09/17/2024 8:56:02 PM PDT by Red Badger

Ratings for ABC’s “World News Tonight” fell by over 10% since the Sept. 10 debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris hosted by ABC News hosts David Muir and Linsey Davis.

The Disney-owned network’s broadcast news program hosted by Muir that airs at 6:30 p.m. EDT drew an average of 7.6 million viewers before the September 10 debate, but only drew an average of 6.7 million viewers in the three days after the debate, according to Fox News. Muir and Davis, who hosts the program on weekends, were criticized for making so-called “fact checks” on Trump more often than Harris during the event, even though Harris made false statements about Trump’s position on in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other issues.

Davis said their decision to be more proactive in fact-checking Trump stemmed from the June 27 debate hosted by CNN between the former president and President Joe Biden.

“People were concerned that statements were allowed to just hang and not [be] disputed by the candidate Biden, at the time, or the moderators,” Davis said during a Sept. 11 interview with the Los Angeles Times.

Trump later said he “lost a bit of respect” for Muir after the debate.

“It was so … one-sided,” he told Fox News. “It was one against three.”

Conservatives agreed with the former president, saying the debate was rigged against Trump, with the former president having to not only contend with Harris, but also Muir and Davis. At one point during the debate, Davis asked Harris about changes in positions on policy issues, but did not press the vice president when Harris discussed “values” instead of responding to the question.

ABC News reporter Martha Raddatz noted Sunday that Harris had misstated facts about American troops being in harm’s way during the debate, something Muir and Davis didn’t do during the debate, Fox News reported.


TOPICS: Government; Politics; Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: abc; debate; media; ratings; trumpharrisdebate

1 posted on 09/17/2024 8:56:02 PM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger

Gee, I’m impressed, Either way, that is about seven times as many viewers as I would have guessed.


2 posted on 09/17/2024 9:02:29 PM PDT by LegendHasIt
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ABC is the multinational Disney that hates America and hates you!


3 posted on 09/17/2024 9:09:13 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist! )
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To: Red Badger

10% ain’t enough, but it’s a start.


4 posted on 09/17/2024 9:19:31 PM PDT by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and harder to find.)
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To: Red Badger
So did those viewers switch networks, or stop watching the evening news entirely?

My wife usually has that show on every weekday evening, because the ABC news is followed by the ABC local news, which is followed by Wheel of Fortune. Without WOF at the end of that string, she would probably change the channel to one of the Hallmark channels or some home-remodeling reality show.

5 posted on 09/18/2024 12:08:10 AM PDT by Bernard (I just clicked over another tag line, Time to run without for a while.)
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To: Bernard

I hope you have more than one TV :P


6 posted on 09/18/2024 2:19:22 AM PDT by JonPreston ( ✌ ☮️ )
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To: Red Badger

“Martha Raddatz noted Sunday that Harris had misstated facts about American troops being in harm’s way during the debate, something Muir and Davis didn’t do during the debate”

I saw that clip. I was surprised MR was so strong on this, especially since she’s ABC herself. The female talking head MR was speaking to, like kaMAla, couldn’t and wouldn’t give a straight answer. I was almost embarrassed for her. Almost.


7 posted on 09/18/2024 2:25:27 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam (I'm voting for the convicted felon with the pierced ear. )
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To: Bernard

Good grief. The IQ level in your house will dwindle to nothing before long if you don’t splurge and get your own TV. If Hubby even surfs through Fox for 10 seconds I’m outta there! ABC ... just no.


8 posted on 09/18/2024 2:28:11 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam (I'm voting for the convicted felon with the pierced ear. )
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To: Bernard

Sounds exactly like MY wife!.................


9 posted on 09/18/2024 4:02:45 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

The Debate proved how shallow the character of ABC News is.


10 posted on 09/18/2024 5:59:17 AM PDT by chopperk (are)
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To: Red Badger

Why listen to world news tonight at 7pm or whatever, the DNC sends out talking points 24/7, it’s the same thing.


11 posted on 09/18/2024 6:01:55 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: Red Badger

DONT watch the DEMOCRAT NEWS CHANNEL.

ABC ( ALL BULL CRAP )


12 posted on 09/18/2024 7:01:38 AM PDT by Pearfect (Ou can't beat the competition lock-in)
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To: Red Badger
...criticized for making so-called “fact checks” on Trump more often than Harris during the event

More often than Harris? Say what now?

I don't recall one single fact check on Harris.

I hope it continues to tank, hard! They deserve it.


13 posted on 09/18/2024 7:19:14 AM PDT by Tommy Revolts (,,)
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To: LegendHasIt

Yet no one has been fired for rigging a debate and lying to the viewers.


14 posted on 09/18/2024 8:09:47 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
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