I'd be hiding those candidates from the public as much as possible too if I were them. Or they're really clueless about what real people actually watch on tv.
No coincidences there. That was the plan!
The Democratic National Committee is absolutely in the tank for Hillary. The DNC doesn't want anyone to watch these debates, as exposure normally helps the lesser known candidate (Bernie here).
Bernie's supporters have been complaining about this for some time now.