The 2024 presidential election season has, thus far, produced five nationally televised debates from August through December 2023. Four of them were for the Republican primary; the outlier being perhaps the most contrived made-for-TV setup: for Fox News Channel on November 30th involving Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA).
The event provided the cable network with an additional debate before the end of the calendar year. Fox News had previously televised the first two GOP debates back on August 23rd and September 27th. NBC aired the third one on November 8th and outlets NewsNation and The CW aired the fourth on December 6th.
Moderated by Fox’s conservative host Sean Hannity and billed as the “Great Red State vs. Blue State Debate”, one of the night’s most memorable moments was when Newsom — who is not declaring to run for POTUS in 2024 — quipped to presidential candidate DeSantis, “The one thing we have in common is neither of us will be our party’s nominee in 2024.”
The debate was tangential, at best, for the election cycle, but the night was more vital for DeSantis, who tried to increase his standing among the Republican field that features the party’s outright frontrunner, Donald Trump.
According to Nielsen Media Research, 4.747 million viewers (including 742,000 within the key 25-54 demographic) tuned in to the 90-minute event on Thursday, November 30th from 9-10:30 PM ET.
While far short of the three past GOP debates — Fox News from August 23rd (13 million viewers, 2.82 million adults 25-54), the combo of FNC, Fox Business Network, and Univision from September 27th (9.32 million viewers, 2 million adults 25-54), and on NBC-only from Nov. 8 (6.86 million viewers, 1.31 million adults 25-54), it still topped all cable news telecasts in both total viewers and the 25-54 demo for the week ending December 3rd.
Its half-hour debate analysis from 10:30-11 PM would be the week’s runner-up for cable news in each key figure: 3.414 million total viewers including 541,000 adults 25-54.
To put these numbers into perspective, Fox News — the usual non-sports cable leader in prime time total audience — averages in the range of 2.0-2.5 million total viewers, including 200,000-300,000 adults 25-54 with the lineup of Jesse Watters Primetime, Hannity, and Gutfeld! from 8-11 p.m. Mondays thru Fridays.
Decent ratings also resulted from its late-night rebroadcasts: the debate at midnight ET drew 706,000 viewers and 154,000 adults 25-54 (on par with how a midnight rerun of their popular early evening talk show The Five regularly performs on other nights); post-debate at 1:30 AM ET drew 576,000 viewers and 131,000 adults 25-54.
Within the seven-day period following their initial airings (November 30th-December 7th), the debate added 442,000 viewers; post-debate earned an additional 206,000 viewers
Cable news averages for November 27-December 3, 2023:
Total Day (Nov. 27-Dec. 3 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.169 million viewers; 134,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.762 million viewers; 71,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.443 million viewers; 78,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.146 million viewers; 8,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.143 million viewers; 41,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.119 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.110 million viewers; 22,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.078 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.072 million viewers; 12,000 adults 25-54
- Court TV: 0.040 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) in total viewers:
1. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 11/30/2023 9:00 PM, 90 min.) 4.747 million viewers
2. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 11/30/2023 10:30 PM, 30 min.) 3.414 million viewers
3. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 11/27/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.995 million viewers
4. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 11/30/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.760 million viewers
5. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 11/29/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.754 million viewers
6. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 11/30/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.754 million viewers
7. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 11/28/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.709 million viewers
8. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 12/1/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.659 million viewers
9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 11/29/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.504 million viewers
10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 11/28/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.315 million viewers
16. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 11/27/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.056 million viewers
89. Rosalynn Carter Memorial Service (CNN, Tue. 11/28/2023 2:00 PM, 75 min.) 1.319 million viewers
175. Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO, Fri. 12/1/2023 10:00 PM, 59 min.) 0.761 million viewers
261. Trump Speech (NMX, Sat. 12/2/2023 4:30 PM, 75 min.) 0.565 million viewers
327. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 12/3/2023 11:00 PM, 38 min.) 0.423 million viewers
357. Kudlow (FBN, Tue. 11/28/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.361 million viewers
363. The Daily Show “Nov 28, 23 – Michelle Wolf” (CMDY, Tue. 11/28/2023 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.353 million viewers
420. Forensic Files II (HLN, late Fri. 12/1/2023 1:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.294 million viewers
464. Fast Money Halftime Report (CNBC, Fri. 12/1/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.259 million viewers
555. Cuomo (NWSN, Fri. 12/1/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.218 million viewers
663. Heavy Rescue: 401 “(206) Not Your Regular Fender-Bender” (TWC, Wed. 11/29/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.178 million viewers
752. FBI Files (COURT TV, Sun. 12/3/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.148 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:
1. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 11/30/2023 9:00 PM, 90 min.) 0.742 million adults 25-54
2. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 11/30/2023 10:30 PM, 30 min.) 0.541 million adults 25-54
3. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 11/30/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.305 million adults 25-54
4. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Tue. 11/28/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.279 million adults 25-54
5. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 11/27/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.261 million adults 25-54
6. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Mon. 11/27/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.259 million adults 25-54
7. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Wed. 11/29/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.257 million adults 25-54
8. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 11/29/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.235 million adults 25-54
9. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 12/1/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.234 million adults 25-54
10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 11/29/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.231 million adults 25-54
37. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 11/27/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.175 million adults 25-54
40. Erin Burnett Outfront (CNN, Mon. 11/27/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.174 million adults 25-54
102. Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO, Fri. 12/1/2023 10:00 PM, 59 min.) 0.138 million adults 25-54
103. The Daily Show “Nov 29, 23 – Michelle Wolf” (CMDY, Wed. 11/29/2023 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.138 million adults 25-54
124. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 12/3/2023 11:00 PM, 38 min.) 0.127 million adults 25-54
189. Forensic Files (HLN, late Sun. 12/3/2023 12:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.102 million adults 25-54
448. America’s Morning Headquarters (TWC, Wed. 11/29/2023 8:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.053 million adults 25-54
477. Closing Bell (CNBC, Tue. 11/28/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.050 million adults 25-54
506. Cuomo (NWSN, Tue. 11/28/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.046 million adults 25-54
534. FBI Files (COURT TV, Sun. 12/3/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.044 million adults 25-54
626. Trump Speech (NMX, Sat. 12/2/2023 4:30 PM, 75 min.) 0.035 million adults 25-54
645. Kudlow (FBN, Tue. 11/28/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.033 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
