UPDATED: Fox News’ Ron DeSantis-Gavin Newsom debate drew 5.46 million viewers — 4.75 million for the live broadcast and 706,000 for a replay — giving Sean Hannity a ratings boost during the time slot.
Thursday’s 90-minute debate — billed as a red-state vs. blue-state showdown — handily beat competition on MSNBC and CNN.
Fox News also won the night, averaging 3.87 million viewers, compared to 1.34 million for MSNBC and 513,000 for CNN.
By comparison, the recent Republican primary debate drew 7.51 million viewers across NBC, streaming and digital. The Fox News event was hosted by Hannity and instead focused on comparisons between California and Florida on key issues such as crime, immigration and education.
In the 9pm ET timeslot, MSNBC’s Alex Wagner tonight averaged 1.2 million viewers and CNNs The Source with Kaitlan Collins 515,000 collected. During the 25-54 demo, the Fox News debate drew 742,000 attendees, compared to 123,000 for MSNBC and 103,000 for CNN.
The debate was also Hannity’s highest-rated show this year. The average viewership last month was 2.25 million, with 260,000 viewers in the 25 to 54 age group. The debate was rebroadcast at midnight ET or 9 p.m. PT, with interest likely to remain high due to Newsom’s involvement.
Hannity’s recap at 10:30 PM ET drew 3.41 million viewers, including 541,000 in the 25-54 demo.
Ratings come from Nielsen over Fox News and MSNBC.
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
