The first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump garnered an estimated 67.1 million viewers across 17 television networks, surpassing the viewership of the previous debate between Trump and President Joe Biden. The 90-minute matchup in Philadelphia covered topics such as abortion, immigration, and the 2020 election results, generating intense interest in Harris as the new Democratic candidate facing off against the former president. Despite the drop in total audience from 2020, the debate drew the largest television audience of the year for a non-sports event.
Viewership habits have shifted significantly since the 2016 debates, with many individuals now watching debates on digital platforms rather than traditional television. While Nielsen numbers only reflect television viewers, millions more likely watched the debate through streaming and social media. ABC, the host of the debate, saw the most viewers with over 19 million people tuning in, followed by NBC and Fox News. Additionally, more than 7 million viewers streamed the debate on various Disney-owned platforms, making it the most-watched debate on any network in at least 16 years.
For the first time in decades, the presidential debates were not organized by the independent Commission on Presidential Debates. Instead, the candidates agreed to debates organized by television news outlets. During the debate, moderators fact-checked Trump in real-time, correcting his statements multiple times, leading to backlash from Trump and his supporters. Following the broadcast, Trump criticized ABC, calling it the “most dishonest news organization” and accusing the moderators of bias. He also suggested Disney’s FCC broadcast licenses should be revoked due to their conduct.
Leading up to the debate, a bitter dispute between Disney and DirecTV resulted in ABC-owned stations being pulled from the nation’s third-largest pay TV provider’s lineup. Despite ABC’s offer to provide DirecTV with a free feed of the debate, the carrier rejected the offer, citing potential confusion for subscribers who could watch the debate on other networks. This dispute added to the controversy surrounding the debate and further heightened tensions between the media and political figures. Overall, the debate between Harris and Trump captured the attention of millions of viewers across various platforms, underscoring the importance of these events in shaping public opinion and influencing elections.
