FOX NEWS RATINGS JUST IN:
11.1 MILLION VIEWERS, FOX'S BEST EVER!!!
UPDATED: Thursday's highly anticipated face-off between Alaska governor Sarah Palin and Delaware senator Joe Biden may be the most-watched debate in 16 years.
Last night's event totaled a 45.0 overnight meter-market household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.
That's 42% higher than Friday's presidential debate between
top-of-the-ticket contenders John McCain and Barack Obama, which scored a
collective 31.6 rating among broadcast and cable networks.
It's also a stunning 60% higher than the 2004 debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards. In fact, the early figure surpasses any presidential debate since 1992's second bout between Bill Clinton, Ross Perot and George Bush (which received a 46.3 rating).
The 55-market measurement will likely decrease slightly when Nielsen releases total national viewers later today. If the rating stays above 43.6, it will mean Thursday night was the highest-rated vp debate in TV history, surpassing 1984's most-watched record holder between George Bush and Geraldine Ferrarro.
Thursday's match was
expected to potentially overthrow Friday's presidential debate in viewers due to questions about Palin's readiness and because the vp match was held on a Thursday, the most-watched night of the week. The audience response puts the election back onto the familiar historic and record-breaking ratings territory that characterized the convention coverage.
The Nielsen rating includes 55 local markets and includes viewers watching the debate on NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, PBS, CNN, Fox News, CSPAN, MSNBC, CNBC, Telemundo, and Telefutura. The Baltimore market
had the largest TV audience, with a household rating of 59.1, while the Los Angeles market had the lowest, with 34.4.
Debate reaction and analysis:
"The
"So how surprising was it, really, that neither candidate devolved into a Jerry Springer screaming fit or fell into a state of catatonia?" asked LA Times.
Debate quotes from the AP.
HuffPo's collection of reactions and live blog. CBS poll results. CNN poll and analysis. CNN's video highlights.
NET BY NET:
PBS is projecting 3.5 million viewers and a 2.3 HH rating. That's up 35% from the Friday debate.
CNN says 10.7 million tuned in, up 50% from Friday's debate and 220% from the cable network's 2004 vp debate coverage, according to fast national numbers.
ABC says they were watched by 13.1 million, the network's highest vp debate viewership since 1992.
Previous VP Debate Ratings:
2004: Cheney-Edwards: 28.1 HH / 43.6 million viewers
2000: Cheney-Lieberman: 21 HH / 29 million viewers
1996: Gore-Kemp: 19.7 HH / 26.6 million viewers
1992: Quayle-Gore-Stockdale: 35.9 HH / 51.2 million viewers
1988: Quayle-Bentsen: 33.6 HH / 46.9 million viewers
1984: Bush-Ferraro: 43.6 HH / 56.7 million viewers
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