The first debate of the 2024 presidential election is scheduled for this Thursday, and it is one of the most anticipated spectacles on television.
Following a turbulent series of debates (and cancellations) leading up to the 2020 election, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will square off again. This debate takes place earlier than normal, and the Commission on Presidential Debates is not serving as the moderator. Expect discussions over immigration, abortion, aging, and Trump’s criminal history between the two contenders.
Trump’s first appearance on the presidential debate stage in 2016 as he faced Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was the most watched presidential debate in history, according to Nielsen total viewership data. But other metrics show 1960 was the year the greatest proportion of households tracked by Nielsen tuned in.
For election coverage audience, Nielsen measured the total number of viewers older than 2, the number of households that tuned in, and a rating as a percentage showing the proportion of television-owning households that tuned in, according to Pew Research.
The data does not encompass everyone who streamed the event, watched it online, who watched on laptops or cell phones, but no company reliably captures the entire audience, according to the New York Times.
Historically, the first debate in the presidential election cycle draws the biggest crowd, however the first debate usually happens in September, after the candidates have been formally nominated.
In 2020, the first debate between Biden and Trump drew 73.1 million viewers while the last debate saw 62.9 viewers, according to Nielsen. The second debate was canceled when Trump refused to participate remotely during a White House COVID-19 outbreak.
In 2016, the first debate between Trump and Clinton drew 84 million views, the second debate drew 66.5 million views and and the final debate drew 71.6 million views.
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