VP Debate Breaks Fox News Ratings Record
Record number of total viewers for Fox News, but CNN takes the night in the 25-54 demo.
By Alex Weprin -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/3/2008 11:16:00 AM MT
Fox News drew 11.1 million viewers for its coverage of the vice presidential debate between Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) and Joe Biden (D-Del.). That would be a record for the network, shattering the previous holder, coverage of a presidential address announcing the invasion of Iraq March 19, 2003.
Still, despite the record, CNN took the night in the key 25-54 demo the networks target.
CNN drew 4.5 million demo viewers, and kept it close in total viewers, drawing 10.7 million during its coverage of the hotly anticipated debate. Fox News drew 3.75 million demo viewers.
MSNBC finished a distant third, drawing 4.4 million total viewers and 1.86 million demo viewers. MSNBC also saw the smallest bump from its coverage of the first presidential debate. Both Fox News and CNN added more than three million viewers from the Obama/McCain debate last Friday. MSNBC only gained 500,000 viewers.
