While not as potent in the ratings as its first debate from late August, the second Republican presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle still delivered well for Fox Business Network and also for the competing networks that offered post-debate analysis.
The event, which took place on Sep. 27 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, was moderated by a journalist from each respective outlet covering it: Fox News Channel’s Dana Perino, Fox Business Network’s Stuart Varney and Univision’s Ilia Calderón.
Participating in the debate were Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Present in the first debate from Milwaukee, but failing to qualify to attend this debate was former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
Also absent, although by his own choosing, was current GOP frontrunner Donald Trump. He had not appeared at the first debate as well.
The second Republican presidential debate drew a combined 9.32 million total viewers across three outlets, according to Nielsen Media Research: 6.693 million on Fox News Channel, 1.817 million on the Fox Business Network, and 813,000 on Spanish language network Univision.
This was approximately 3.5 million fewer people than the first debate’s linear TV audience from Aug. 23. Nonetheless, it was still, by far, TV’s most-watched program in prime time despite airing directly opposite the season premiere of CBS’ Survivor (5.24 million) and the season finale of NBC’s America’s Got Talent (5.36 million).
Survivor is Wednesday’s usual top demo draw in adults 18-49; on this night, it delivered a 0.84 rating which equates to 1.1 million viewers within the age 18-49 range. Yet, the debate also topped that with a combined 1.1 adults 18-49 rating (approx. 1.45 million viewers aged 18 thru 49); FNC with a 0.66 A18-49 rating, FBN with 0.25 A18-49 and Univision 0.19.
Certainly, FNC most benefitted from post-debate analysis coverage. A special edition of Hannity following the debate posted 3.14 million viewers, which actually exhibited slightly higher retention from its debate lead-in (47 percent) than what the respective hour did back on Aug. 23; 4.39 million, out of the 11.06 million FNC viewers; thus, then retaining 40 percent.
MSNBC and CNN saw upticks in audiences within the 11 PM hour with their respective post-debate analyses even though they were not the networks televising the debate. Here are how each increased from the 10 PM hour on both Aug. 23 and Sep. 27:
August 23, 2023
- MSNBC 10-11 p.m.: 1.922 million viewers
- MSNBC 11 p.m.-midnight: 2.720 million viewers (+41.5 percent)
- CNN 10-11 p.m.: 0.736 million viewers
- CNN 11 p.m.-midnight: 1.516 million viewers (+105.97 percent)
September 27, 2023
- MSNBC 10-11 p.m.: 1.676 million viewers
- MSNBC 11 p.m.-midnight: 2.203 million viewers (+31.4 percent)
- CNN 10-11 p.m.: 0.529 million viewers
- CNN 11 p.m.-midnight: 0.778 million viewers (+47.1 percent)
Cable news averages for September 25-October 1, 2023:
Total Day (Sep. 25-Oct. 1 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.199 million viewers; 148,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.943 million viewers; 95,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.477 million viewers; 87,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.186 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.063 million viewers; 9,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (Sep. 25-30 @ 8-11 p.m.; Oct. 1 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 2.179 million viewers; 274,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.516 million viewers; 138,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.574 million viewers; 113,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.318 million viewers; 28,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.094 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54
