FNC pulled in 8.21 million and led all cable news networks for the debate, leading CNN’s 7.14 million. FNC coverage of the first Bush – Kerry debate in 9/04 pulled 9.561 million, but that debate had more viewers across the board.
Live + Same Day Cable News Daily Ratings for September 26, 2008
P2+ Total Day
FNC – 2,233,000 viewers
CNN –1,738,000 viewers
MSNBC – 1,155,000 viewers
CNBC – 425,000 viewers
HLN – 359,000 viewers
P2+ Prime Time
FNC – 6,949,000 viewers
CNN –5,475,000 viewers
MSNBC-3,326,000 viewers
CNBC –470,000 viewers
HLN – 657,000 viewers
25-54 Total Day
FNC – 633,000 viewers
CNN –716,000 viewers
MSNBC – 444,000 viewers
CNBC –138,000 viewers
HLN- 163,000 viewers
25-54 Prime Time
FNC –2,129,000 viewers
CNN – 2,439,000 viewers
MSNBC – 1,372,000 viewers
CNBC – 156,000 viewers
HLN – 267,000 viewers
35-64 Total Day
FNC –1,042,000 viewers
CNN – 885,000 viewers
MSNBC – 637,000 viewers
CNBC – 235,000 viewers
HLN – 207,000 viewers
35-64 Prime Time
FNC – 3,226,000 viewers
CNN –2,623,000 viewers
MSNBC –1,795,000 viewers
CNBC –274,000 viewers
HLN –354,000 viewers
Morning programs (6:00AM-9:00AM) P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
FOX & Friends –1,233,000 viewers (346,000) (703,000)
American Morning-749,000 viewers (263,000) (435,000)
Morning Joe- 616,000 viewers (218,000) (333,000)
Squawk Box- 357,000 viewers (138,000) (231,000)
Morning Express w/ Meade- 253,000 viewers (124,000) (146,000)
6PM – P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
Special Report with Brit Hume – 2,299,000 viewers (415,000) (951,000)
Situation Room- 1,290,000 viewers (455,000) (622,000)
Race/White House w/d Gregory- 949,000 viewers (334,000) (497,000)
Mad Money–479,000 viewers (164,000) (289,000)
Prime News- 371,000 viewers (171,000) (212,000)
7PM – P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
Fox Report w/ Shepard Smith – 2,336,000 viewers (547,000) (1,108,000)
Lou Dobbs–1,607,000 viewers (539,000) (762,000)
Hardball w/Chris Matthews—1,355,000 viewers (453,000) (744,000)
**Is Your Money Safe(7PM-9PM)—342,000 viewers (112,000) (219,000)
Glenn Beck – 463,000 viewers (183,000) (276,000)
8PM – P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
**The O’Reilly Factor (8PM-850PM)- 4,531,000 viewers (1,088,000) (1,969,000)
**Pres. Debate CVG—(850PM-901PM)–5,850,000 viewers (1,629,000) (2,626,000)
Election Center—2,366,000 viewers (924,000) (1,075,000)
Countdown w/Keith Olbermann– 2,379,000 viewers (848,000) (1,277,000)
Nancy Grace –1,181,000 viewers (494,000) (661,000)
9 PM – P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
**Pres Debate—(901PM-10:38PM)—8,211,000 viewers (2,612,000) (3,813,000)
**SR Pres Debate 1 2008 (9PM-1039PM)—7,140,000 viewers (3,272,000) (3,443,000)
**Debate (9PM-1037PM)–3,922,000 viewers (1,691,000) (2,134,000)
**Presidential Debate (9PM-1030PM) – 574,000 viewers (196,000) (327,000)
Glenn Beck- 344,000 viewers (110,000) (172,000)
10 PM P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
**On the Record w/Greta (1038PM-11PM)—7,413,000 viewers (2,614,000) (3,793,000)
**Anderson Cooper 360 (1039PM-11PM)–6,502,000 viewers (2,827,000) (3,173,000)
**Post Debate Analysis–3,278,000 viewers (1,398,000) (1,716,000)
**CNBC Special Report (1030PM-11PM)—474,000 viewers (150,000) (270,000)
Nancy Grace –508,000 viewers (228,000) (266,000)
11 PM P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
**Pres Debate Analysis(11PM-1129PM)—4,654,000 viewers (1,700,000) (2,312,000)
**Hannity & Colmes (1129PM-12AM)—3,160,000 viewers (1,255,000) (1,546,000)
Anderson Cooper 360—4,297,000 viewers (1,916,000) (2,381,000)
Countdown w/Keith Olbermann–2,298,000 viewers (943,000) (1,247,000)
Mad Money—273,000 viewers (96,000) (186,000)
Showbiz Tonight– 463,000 viewers (229,000) (247,000)
P2+ = viewers over the age of 2
(25-54) = Adults 25-54 viewing
(35-64) = Adults 35-64 viewing
Prime Time = 8-11pm
LIVE+SD: The number that watched a program either while it was broadcast OR watched via DVR on the same day [through 3AM the next day] the program was broadcast. For more information see Numbers 101.
Scratch = when a show’s audience fails to meet minimum Nielsen reporting levels. For more information go here.
Nielsen Cable Network Coverage Estimates (as of March, 2008)
CNN/HLN: 96.93 million HHs
CNBC: 95.13 million HHs
FNC: 94.55 million HHs
MSNBC: 91.59 million HHs
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
Despite the pretty hefty total viewer gap between Fox and CNN, CNN still managed to win in the demo quite handily…
Kinda makes it hard to tell the debates apart easily without identifying each network….
Anyway, for the demo thing, its not too surprising. (I’m so gonna get yelled at for this) Part of the reason is that older people skew more conservative than younger people. Look at how the ‘win’ (if you can call it that) flips from CNN to FNC when the demo adjusts up 10 years.
Also, its a special night. As far as images on cable go, CNN’s is arguably less ‘tainted’ than MSNBC or FNC, so the (seemingly ever decreasing number of) Americans who want the story given to them straight(er) pick CNN.
Looking on the past few days, FNC tends to trounce everyone else in straight sets. I bet CNN wishes there were more debates.
What’s at work is the regularly seen “surge” of people who never watch cable news otherwise who go to CNN whenever there is a big event. Political, weather, etc , people who never watch cable news instinctively seem to turn on CNN.
CNN had those stupid dials on the side of the screen. I bet that hurt them.
I thought those dials were only on CNNHD.
Either way, Dave brings up a good point. cable news channels in general are trying to cram to much information on the screen.