Cable News Networks Clean Up Over Broadcast in Night 2 DNC Ratings, But Numbers Down 24% Overall from 2016
CNN and MSNBC shared ratings victories — once again — on night two of the scaled-down virtual DNC convention, featuring speeches from figures like Bill Clinton, Sally Yates, and Dr. Jill Biden.
According to data from Nielsen, MSNBC beat both CNN and Fox News in overall viewers, with 5.41 million watching MSNBC from 10-11 pm, and 4.34 million and 2.22 million watching CNN and Fox respectively.
CNN, meanwhile, beat MSNBC in the all-important adults 25-54 demographic, with 1.30 million viewers. 1.06 million in the demo watched MSNBC, while 435,000 in the demo watched Fox News.
Among the broadcast networks, NBC News got more viewers overall (2.32 million) and in the 25-54 demographic (592,000) than ABC News (2.25 million; 584,000) and CBS News (2.07 million; 482,000).
All in all, cable news dominated — with CNN and MSNBC beating all three networks in the overall, and Fox News topping CBS.
Combined, the six outlets posted 18.66 million overall viewers — down more than 24 percent from night two of the 2016 convention (a night on which Bill Clinton also appeared). Only MSNBC improved on its viewership from 2016. From the Wall Street Journal at the time:
An estimated 24.7 million viewers watched former President Bill Clinton on the second night of the Democratic National Convention…
From 10 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, CNN led the way in viewership for the second night in a row, beating all other news networks with 5.9 million viewers, according to Nielsen data provided by the network. MSNBC averaged 3.8 million viewers, while Fox News—the ratings leader during the Republican convention—delivered 2.9 million.
Among the broadcast networks, NBC News drew an audience of 5.3 million people. ABC News followed with 3.5 million, and CBS News delivered 2.9 million.
