Vance-Walz debate attracts 20m fewer viewers than 2020 face-off between Harris and Pence

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Independent

4 hours ago


Just under 39 million people tuned in across eight networks to watch Tuesday’s vice presidential debate between Senator JD Vance and Governor Tim Walz, falling 20 million people short of the audience draw when Vice President Kamala Harris and former Vice President Mike Pence debated in 2020.

Early figures from Nielsen, Fox, and MSNBC showed that CBS — which hosted the debate — averaged 9.14 million viewers, Fox News averaged 7.69 million, ABC News averaged 6.1 million, NBC averaged 5.44 million, MSNBC averaged 4.65 million, CNN averaged 3.18 million, Fox Broadcasting averaged 2.42 million, and Fox Business averaged 255,000, Deadline reports.

In 2020, the vice presidential debate averaged approximately 51 million in early numbers across the same networks. The final numbers showed that 59 million watched the debate, making it the most watched vice presidential face-off since they began in 1976. Nielsen is expected to provide more detailed numbers later on Wednesday.

The vice presidential debate also drew significantly fewer viewers than this year’s presidential debate between Harris and Donald Trump, which saw 67.14 million viewers across 17 networks tune in last month.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/vp-debate-ratings-vance-walz-cbs-b2622898.html

[Klarkashton]

1. I keep seeing this shit about how Vance did better than

Walz. Vance couldn't answer a single goddamn question without lying. On what basis did he do better? Certainly it wasn't in appearance, pudding face weird beard looks like a shit pie.

[CANADIANBEAVER69]

4. It's always about appearance with them

They love the slick snake because they are slick snakes. No actual policy talk, because Project 2025 isn't polling well, so they don't bring up particulars. Bombastic BS'ers is all they are and will ever be.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. The fact that "the media" have unanimously decided to describe Vance in glowing terms

like "smooth" or "slick", with little or no critique about and pure acceptance of the fact that he answered no questions. And that was even when the moderators circled back around and asked each question again.

This is why the debate format should be deprecated.

[CANADIANBEAVER69]

10. Media has overtaken true Journalism

The right has made such a fuss over the hard questions being asked, and framing them as attacks, that not many are willing to ask them anymore. It's a part of the dumbing down. Look at the shiny smile and bright lights. OOOoooh Shiny.

[Hugin]

19. Thank you for saying it...

So that I didn’t have to say it!

[BumRushDaShow]

5. That is why I keep ranting about how this "debate" thing needs to end

They are an artifact of a different time - before the more advanced communications technology like A/V broadcast and internet.

"Debates" have now become nothing more than "beauty contests" that value and weight "style" over "substance".

[CANADIANBEAVER69]

9. Unfortunately, style is what sells

you can blame social media and the instant fame of likes and subscribers. Plastic coated people, selling plastic coated cheap shit. Welcome to the show.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. The problem is

that one party gets blasted for not providing "substance" and the other does not. That is why Harris had to walk that fine line to attempt to aggressively do both with her debates (for VP and later President), and that isn't easy. As a lawyer and former A.D.A./D.A./AG, she has learned how to "tell a story" to a jury in a courtroom, as "trial lawyers" learn how to "perform".

[CANADIANBEAVER69]

13. oh I get the complete lopsided way it's getting portrayed out there.

Most smart, critical thinking people understand the MS media is just an extension of the right leaning owners pushing their own agendas. We are fed what they want us to see.

[Kaleva]

17. They are feeding people what they want to see

The foremost aim of MSM is to generate profits for their owners and investors. To increase profits, they have to put out what audiences want. The more viewers, the greater the profits.

I don't watch the debates because they aren't actual debates and haven't been so in a very long time. But actual debates would very likely be found boring by many except for policy wonks.

[Gaytano70]

7. He won on style.

That's what he was made for. Bigtechbro robot toyboy.

[Klarkashton]

14. Not with me. He was transparently a shitbird usless

Know nothing. He failed as a tech bro he is worthless.

[OAITW r.2.0]

2. Does that include streaming? Doubtful, hard to count.

[Gaytano70]

3. I watched the whole debate...

Because of Tim Walz. But to be 100% honest, I could have skipped it and still know that I support Harris-Walz 100% and Shady Pants is a robot that has been programmed by his bigtechbro handlers to lie his eyeliner off 🥱

[Prairie Gates]

6. The Fly announced it would not appear

Not surprising.

[MacKasey]

12. Yes, even the Fly does not want to get near Vance

The Fly has standards

[Prairie Gates]

15. Low contrast

[agalisgv]

16. This country has become polarized

Much more than before. Probably the only time it was more polarized, was during the civil war.

[Rhiannon12866]

18. They were missing the fly!

[BumRushDaShow]

20. And the tool to take care of it!

[Rhiannon12866]

21. LOL! Now that I'm seeing it, I remember this!

[BumRushDaShow]

22. When that happened

and the campaign offered up the swatters, I immediately donated. I think I was too late because I never got my swatter.

[Rhiannon12866]

23. I remember that, too bad you didn't get yours, it would be quite a keepsake with a story!