The vice presidential debate is tonight. Here’s what to expect on viewership.

Oct 01, 2024

Craig Nigrelli Reporter

By Craig Nigrelli (Reporter), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)

With exactly five weeks to go until election night on Nov. 5, the vice presidential candidates will square off in a debate hosted by CBS News. One of the interesting factors to monitor is how many people actually watch the debate between Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and Republican Ohio Sen. JD Vance.

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Vice presidential debates typically do not draw the same big audiences of presidential debates.

In this case, political experts say both candidates are still introducing themselves to the voters and the nation. The debate offers them a chance to stand out and get recognized.

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Looking back at past vice presidential debates and the Nielsen television ratings, the 2008 clash between Democratic candidate Joe Biden and Republican candidate Sarah Palin stands out. It drew an audience of about 42% of American households.

Four years later, that number fell to approximately 32% when Biden debated Republican Paul Ryan. More recently in 2020, the debate between Kamala Harris and Mike Pence drew an audience of 33.7%.

Nielsen measures the number of households using television, also called HUT levels. However, it does not sample the number of people streaming a debate online.

The vice presidential debate could break records, or the numbers could be lacking.

Tags: 2024 Elections, Election, Tim Walz

Craig Nigrelli

WITH EXACTLY FIVE WEEKS TO GO UNTIL ELECTION NIGHT, THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES WILL SQUARE OFF IN A DEBATE TONIGHT IN NEW YORK CITY. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY WATCH THE DEBATE BETWEEN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR TIM WALZ OF MINNESOTA AND REPUBLICAN SENATOR JD VANCE OF OHIO.

VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES TYPICALLY DO NOT DRAW THE SAME BIG AUDIENCES OF PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES. POLITICAL EXPERTS SAY BOTH CANDIDATES ARE STILL INTRODUCING THEMSELVES TO THE NATION. THE DEBATE OFFERS THEM A CHANCE TO STAND OUT AND GET RECOGNIZED.

LOOKING BACK AT PAST NIELSEN TELEVISION RATINGS FOR VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES, THE 2008 CLASH BETWEEN DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE JOE BIDEN AND REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE SARAH PALIN, STANDS OUT. IT DREW AN AUDIENCE OF 42 PERCENT OF AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS.

FOUR YEARS LATER, THAT NUMBER FELL TO 32 PERCENT WHEN BIDEN DEBATED REPUBLICAN PAUL RYAN. MORE RECENTLY IN 2020, THE DEBATE BETWEEN KAMALA HARRIS AND MIKE PENCE DREW AN AUDIENCE OF 33.7 %.

NIELSEN MEASURES THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS USING TELEVISION THAT TUNED IN, OFTEN CALLED HUT LEVELS. HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT SAMPLE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE STREAMING A DEBATE ON-LINE. 67 POINT ONE MILLION PEOPLE WATCHED LAST MONTH’S PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE BETWEEN KAMALA HARRIS AND DONALD TRUMP. WE WILL SEE HOW MANY WILL TUNE IN FOR TONIGHT’S DEBATE.

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