Presidential Debate Ratings: 63.2 Million Viewers, ABC, CNN Win

The second Presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain was a bigger television event than the first — but not as big as the debate between their running mates, which set several ratings records last week. Tuesday night's debate drew 63.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings, or approximately 66 million viewers including PBS (which Nielsen does not count).

ABC won the debate among the networks, while CNN took top billing among the cablers.

The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd reports the numbers:

Tuesday night's presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama was seen by 63.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.

That's about 21% more than watched the candidates' first showdown two weeks ago -- an event seen by 52.4 million -- and ranks as the highest-rated top-of-the-ticket debate since 1992.

Yet last night couldn't compare to Thursday's vp showdown between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden, which was seen by 10% more viewers than last night (70 million) and retains the record as the second-most-watched debate of all time.

Tuesday's bout will stand as the highest-rated presidential debate since Bill Clinton, Ross Perot and George Bush squared off for their second debate in 1992.

Network News
ABC: 13.2 million
NBC: 10.9 million
CBS: 9.4 million

Cable News
CNN: 9.2 million
Fox News: 8.8 million
MSNBC: 3.8 million

Public Television
PBS: 2.8 million

Comments

[IWoman]

I watch FOX when I need a good laugh. Hannity is so rude that it's hilarious. This is the best comedy on television during election season.

[DaDawg]

MSNBC is behind CNN because, the liberal went there to see the instant poll graphs. If MSNBC had something like it, the ratings would be higher.

[jinjinpinti]

As I said previously, media popularity is not necessarily indicative of good taste, intelligence, nor truth.

[skyglider]

Fox News is hillarious !!!

Bill O'Ralley says :

1) Fox News has more audience than ALL the other MEDIA... COMBINED !!!
2) They say that in all the first three debates, their Audience considered that the REP candidates (McCain and Palin) won each Debate by aprox. 86% by 14%.
3) Fox is # 1 in Political News in the las 7 years.....­.. straight.
4) Fox says ALL these statements­.... ARE FACTS !!!!!l

Really ?????????????????

[ohiomark]

I see that BSNBC is bringing up the rear in ratings again.

They must be so proud.

[VikingQuest]

MSNBC just lacks any sort of ratings doesn't it.

On another note, I am amazed that more people watched the VP debates than the Presidential debates.

[Lpeter]

If they would let them go at it instead of this formal courteous BS, we might have something real.

Ralph Nadar called the debates parallel interviews. Did I spell that big P word right?

[VikingQuest]

The people that don't let them go is their campaigns and has nothing to do with the format. Nothing can be said by Obama or McCani without being run by 26 focus groups.

[tedmore123]

I watch Fox...it is so funny how they just make stuff up...all the time. It is the best
reality show on television. All these people pretending to be journalists, reading
'talking points' and the more outlandish the better it gets. Oh, and I listen to Rush
Limbaugh too, you might have heard of him...his audience is composed of 'ditto heads'...
which I have no clue what that means but he's the radio version of Fox News. All
crazy mad up stuff that he tries to tie to reality. He is too funny. And what about that
McCain - Palin thing...tw­o people pretending to run for the presidency­...and lying and
distorting and baiting people to violence..­.how can you not laugh at that? The Palin
character acts like she's from Fargo and pretends to have the IQ of cottage cheese...b­ut
the cottage cheese has her beat. McCain plays this old, old doddering fool who wrote
legislation outlawing dinosaurs.­..when they were alive! Get it? that's how old he is.

Anyway, gotta go watch some 'Fox News' again...th­ose guys crack me up.

[VikingQuest]

Let me ask you a question, do you think MSNBC is truthful compared to Fox?

[RiggsMD]

I preferr MSNBC for the Matthews, Olberman and Maddow. They are all extremely good and real. I do watch Fox frequently, just to get the other sides views and strategies. CNN is my favorite. Brazille, Crowley, King, Brown, Martin, Cafferty, Yellin, Borger, Bash, Malveaux, Wolf and others there are the greatest in the world, I just think they need a new format. If they had the format of MSNBC I would only watch CNN.

[VikingQuest]

I can deal with Maddow but Olbermann is a complete goofball just like Hannity is.

BTW, Larry King needs to retire, worst interviewer ever.

[AshevilleVoice]

MSNBC is my network of choice but they've made huge mistakes in covering debates.

I don't want endless pundit analysis, and that's why CNN, with its polls and rooms of undecided voters giving their impressions interests me more. Gloria Borger has insightful comments- this woman needs her own show. Why doesn't MSNBC use Rachel Maddow?

The tilt away from Fox means that critical voters are getting turned off by the McCain Palin cheerleading and brown nosing. There is hope for us yet...

[VikingQuest]

MSNBC and Fox are one in the same . . .

Pointless to watch because you know where they are going to come down on any topic before anyone even speaks.

[Roan8]

Does Nielson even poll MSNBC watchers? I watch it everyday but no one has, in my 61 years, ever called to ask what I watch. They are probably like all the other corrupted corporations in this country - in some one's pocket. Perhaps the other networks are sliding more under the table.

[bpd1069]

this is the 21st century - They don't call you, they use cable set-top boxes as data and then extrapolate for the general public.

[Roan8]

I don't have a set-top box.

[Scalie]

Not all cable offer MSNBC along with CNN and FOX.

[VikingQuest]

Anyone that has a real cable/sat package gets all of them . . . MSNBC is by far and away the worst. I couldn't take them seriously after the Dem primary coverage and since they flip to jail or child molestor shows at 11 it is a pointless channel.

[LaFilleEnRose]

If MSNBC is lagging, they might call it the Brokow effect. He broke up a great team with his efforts to be NBC's "McCain camp link" (that is Matthews and Olbermann) and what did he get for it? A smackdown by McCain at the debates.

[VikingQuest]

Or you could call it the HD effect . . .

Fox & MSNBC don't offer HD channels.

[GV97]

I always watch C-Span for big political Events and they should be included in your
polling.
Then I switch between MSNBC and CNN to hear their comments.
They never seem to change my mind..... but interesting nevertheless.

[SunshineDaydream]

msnbc is not basic cable in comcast markets

[victoriajubilee]

Check to see if your name is on the voters list right now. Dont wait until election day,the lines will be long. If your state has early voting,go out and vote now. If you are able to volunteer on election day to drive people to the polls,do so.This is the last month to make a donation,give $10 or $20 to the Obama campaign.