Trump-Clinton debate gets record ratings

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill

More than 80 million people viewed Monday's presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, making it the most watched debate ever, according to Nielsen research.

The previous record was the only debate between Republican Ronald Reagan and President Jimmy Carter in 1980, which drew 80 million in an era with far fewer channels and no internet. In 2012, the first debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney in 2012 drew 67 million viewers.

The 80 million number doesn't include numerous streaming options made available.
The population of the United States is also much bigger than it was in 1980, which puts the Reagan-Carter debate in a different context.

In 1980, the population was 225 million, while today's U.S. population is 320 million.

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Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/first-presidential-debate-most-watched-debate-ever-ratings-record

[elmac]

1. I can hear Trump now

"I should get paid to do these debates, they tune in to see me!"
Well Thump, they tune in to see you crash & burn you spoiled little rich punk.

[unblock]

2. *allegedly* rich.

[PSPS]

3. ... which is all that really matters. Big ad revenue!!11!1!

[emulatorloo]

8. There were no commercials during the debates.

So no big ad revenue.

[PSPS]

9. Are you kidding? Pre and post shows were littered with them.

[emulatorloo]

10. No I am not kidding. OP's article was about the Clnton-Trump debate ratings

So I'm not kidding, I'm speaking factually.

[PSPS]

16. I guess I got ripped off.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Done completely commercial free

during the actual debate.

When I had heard that they would have no commercials, I figured I'd die without some kind of break but there was so much going on, the time really did fly by and I didn't even notice!

[hibbing]

4. His tiny hands are like the old freak shows n/t

[SunSeeker]

5. Ooooh. That's a lot of people who saw Trump choke!

[liberaltrucker]

6. Being opposite the Falcons-Saints didn't hurt

[patricia92243]

7. The Clinton-Trump debate.

[BumRushDaShow]

12. Much of the media were fantasizing about the predictions of "upwards of 100 million viewers"

I think those days are long gone now.

(although you do have outlets like CSPAN that don't get counted nor does the streaming - although I think Nielsen can count stream ratings if they want)

[Crowman1979]

14. I watched the debate on CSPAN to avoid hearing the opinions of the MSM idiots.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Same here

[tammywammy]

13. I guess being up against Monday Night Football wasn't such a big deal.