Donald Trump was absent from yet another Republican primary debate, and on Dec. 6, it was the least-watched debate of the 2024 election season, to-date. Nonetheless, it provided significant milestones for the outlets that carried the debate, Nexstar-owned networks NewsNation and The CW.
Across both networks, the fourth GOP primary debate combined for 4.216 million total viewers including 874,000 within the key 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. Here is a rundown of the linear TV viewerships of the political debates through Dec. 6:
- Aug. 23, 2023 (Fox News): 12.8 million viewers; 2.82 million adults 25-54
- Sep. 27, 2023 (Fox News + FBN + Univision): 9.32 million viewers, 2 million adults 25-54
- Nov. 8, 2023 (NBC): 6.86 million viewers, 1.31 million adults 25-54
- Nov. 30, 2023 (Fox News): 4.747 million viewers, 742,000 adults 25-54
- Dec. 6, 2023 (CW + NewsNation): 4.216 million viewers, 874,000 adults 25-54
The fourth GOP primary debate — held in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and moderated by NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas, SiriusXM’s Megyn Kelly, and the Washington Free-Beacon’s Eliana Johnson — featured Gov. Ron DeSantis (FL), former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley (SC), former Gov. Chris Christie (NJ) and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (OH).
It did manage to outdraw one debate in the 25-54 demo: DeSantis-Newspm from Nov. 30 (the Fox News debate where Vargas joked in a publication interview that she “[deserved] a gold medal for sticking with it.”)
For NewsNation, at 1.598 million viewers, it was their most-watched telecast ever, since the nascent news outlet officially launched on March 1, 2021. It was also the first time the network reached the weekly top ten cable news programs for adults 25-54 (as indicated in the rankings below, it placed runner-up.)
2.618 million saw it on The CW — the network’s largest live-plus-same-day total viewer figure since the Nov. 28, 2017 episode of The Flash (2.82 million).
Males accounted for 57 percent (497,000) of the debate’s 25-54 crowd, which was approximately on par with each of the prior Fox News debates (55-58 percent of their respective 25-54s were male.) NBC’s Nov. 8 GOP debate had close to a 50/50 male/female split for their key 25-54 demo.
NewsNation’s 2-hour post-debate analysis from 10 PM to midnight drew 559,000 viewers (including 124,000 adults 25-54). That’s a 35 percent retention from the debate, which is a lesser rate than the post shows at Fox News and NBC (each 47 percent) on their respective GOP primary debate nights.
However, local news airing on several CW affiliates immediately following prime time also offered their own debate analyses. While no exact figures were available, Nielsen fast affiliate data (released at 11 AM Eastern on Dec. 7) indicated local programming on CW from 10-10:30 p.m. averaged 1.24 million viewers, nearly retaining 52 percent from CW’s 9:30-10 p.m. portion (2.4 million) of the debate.
Once again, MSNBC and CNN offered their own post-debate coverages — although on MSNBC that, evening, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke with Last Word host Lawrence O’Donnell from 10:06-10:22 PM eastern — and each saw increases from its previous hour, as also had occurred in the recent past:
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)
November 8, 2023
- MSNBC 9-10 p.m.: 1.490 million viewers
- MSNBC 10-11 p.m. 2.348 million viewers (+57.6 percent)
- CNN 9-10 p.m.: 0.642 million viewers
- CNN 10 p.m.-midnight: 0.853 million viewers (+32.9 percent)
December 6, 2023
- MSNBC 9-10 p.m.: 1.429 million viewers
- MSNBC 10-11 p.m. 1.841 million viewers (+28.8 percent)
- CNN 9-10 p.m.: 0.466 million viewers
- CNN 10 p.m.-midnight: 0.934 million viewers (+100.4 percent)
In late-night, the debate reran on NewsNation at midnight-2 a.m. ET and again at 4-6 a.m. ET to audiences of 131,000 viewers and 50,000 viewers, respectively. A rebroadcast of the post-debate analysis at 2-4 a.m. ET delivered 49,000 viewers.
Cable news averages for December 4-10, 2023:
Total Day (Dec. 4-10 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.193 million viewers; 133,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.779 million viewers; 76,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.427 million viewers; 80,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.145 million viewers; 8,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.143 million viewers; 42,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.119 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.112 million viewers; 23,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.104 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.084 million viewers; 19,000 adults 25-54
- Court TV: 0.043 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, Tue. 12/5/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.164 million viewers
2. Rachel Maddow Show “Liz Cheney Interview 930-959” (MSNBC, Mon. 12/4/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.149 million viewers
3. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 12/4/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.922 million viewers
4. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 12/5/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.834 million viewers
5. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 12/7/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.761 million viewers
6. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 12/6/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.737 million viewers
7. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 12/8/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.664 million viewers
8. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 12/5/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.611 million viewers
9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 12/7/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.527 million viewers
10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 12/6/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.430 million viewers
39. Republican Primary Debate (NWSN, Wed. 12/6/2023 8:00 PM, 120 min.) 1.598 million viewers
144. AC360 Post Debate Special “NewsNation Alabama GOP Primary Debate 12/6/23” (CNN, Wed. 12/6/2023 10:00 PM, 120 min.) 0.934 million viewers
180. Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO, Fri. 12/8/2023 10:00 PM, 58 min.) 0.769 million viewers
317. Rob Schmitt Tonight (NMX, Mon. 12/4/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.451 million viewers
363. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 12/10/2023 11:00 PM, 38 min.) 0.360 million viewers
375. Kudlow (FBN, Thu. 12/7/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.340 million viewers
378. The Daily Show “Dec 5, 23- Charlamagne Tha God” (CMDY, Tue. 12/5/2023 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.334 million viewers
415. Forensic Files (HLN, late Sat. 12/9/2023 12:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.287 million viewers
454. Closing Bell (CNBC, Wed. 12/6/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.260 million viewers
523. Highway Thru Hell “Crazy Horse” (TWC, Sat. 12/9/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.232 million viewers
888. FBI Files (COURT TV, late Sun. 12/10/2023 12:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.109 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, Tue. 12/5/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.375 million adults 25-54
2. Republican Primary Debate (NWSN, Wed. 12/6/2023 8:00 PM, 120 min.) 0.359 million adults 25-54
3. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Tue. 12/5/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.288 million adults 25-54
4. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Wed. 12/6/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.273 million adults 25-54
5. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Thu. 12/7/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.263 million adults 25-54
6. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 12/4/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.260 million adults 25-54
7. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 12/5/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.253 million adults 25-54
8. Rachel Maddow Show “Liz Cheney Interview 930-959” (MSNBC, Mon. 12/4/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.249 million adults 25-54
9. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 12/6/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.248 million adults 25-54
10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 12/6/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.242 million adults 25-54
12. AC360 Post Debate Special “NewsNation Alabama GOP Primary Debate 12/6/23” (CNN, Wed. 12/6/2023 10:00 PM, 120 min.) 0.238 million adults 25-54
63. Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, Fri. 12/8/2023 10:00 PM, 58 min.) 0.158 million adults 25-54
113. The Daily Show “Dec 5, 23- Charlamagne Tha God” (CMDY, Tue. 12/5/2023 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.131 million adults 25-54
137. Forensic Files (HLN, late Wed. 12/6/2023 12:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.120 million adults 25-54
173. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 12/10/2023 11:00 PM, 38 min.) 0.109 million adults 25-54
418. Highway Thru Hell “Still Got It” (TWC, Sat. 12/9/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.058 million adults 25-54
421. Cities of Success “Nashville” (CNBC, Wed. 12/6/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.057 million adults 25-54
454. FBI Files (COURT TV, late Sun. 12/10/2023 12:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.054 million adults 25-54
710. Eric Bolling The Balance (NMX, Fri. 12/8/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.028 million adults 25-54
732. Varney & Company (FBN, Fri. 12/8/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.027 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
