Reality TV Politics
by digby
Americans are really interested in this contest:
59.2 million people watched the final presidential debate, the lowest turnout for a presidential debate this cycle, according to Nielsen.
Last night's foreign policy debate in Boca Raton, Fla., was carried across 11 networks, as Fox News instead ran Game 7 of the MLB NLCS playoffs, which drew 8.1 million viewers. Monday Night Football also drew 10.7 million viewers to ESPN.
The 59.2 million reflects total audiences for ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, PBS, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, CurrentTV and CNBC between 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET, and for Telemundo, which aired the debate on tape delay.
12.391 million viewers watched the debate on NBC, accoring to that network's statistics, making it the most-watched channel. 11.47 million watched on Fox News, breaking an all-time record for the cable network. 11.730 million watched on ABC and 8.437 million watched on CBS, according to NBC. 5.808 watched on CNN and 4.064 watched on MSNBC, according to CNN.
Per Nielsen, 67.2 million people watched the first presidential debate in Denver, Colo., on Oct. 3. 65.6 million people watched the second town-hall debate on Oct. 16 in Hempstead, N.Y. Only 51.4 million people watched the vice presidential debate on Oct. 11 in Danville, Ky.
Fox set a record. I wonder how many of them had to jump start their pace makers every time ole Mitt started droning on about "peace" and "helping the good people of the Middle East." That had to hurt a little.
Here's a rundown on the instant polls. Obama won number three handily.
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