Nearly 43 million viewers tuned in to the Walz-Vance vice presidential debate, marking a substantial decrease in viewership compared to the 2020 encounter.
The vice presidential discussion between Tim Walz and JD Vance attracted over 43 million spectators on various TV channels on Tuesday evening, as per Nielsen's estimates.
This viewership count includes the combined audience from 15 television networks that aired the CBS-produced debate concurrently. Moreover, an unspecified number of viewers possibly watched the debate online on platforms like YouTube.
Vice presidential debates have historically garnered lower viewership than their presidential counterparts, and 2022 was no exception. The debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump in September attracted over 67 million viewers from 17 TV networks, according to Nielsen.
Despite the dip in viewership, the Walz-Vance debate ranked among the most-watched individual broadcasts of 2022 in the United States.
In 2016, approximately 57 million viewers tuned in to witness the sole vice presidential debate of the election cycle between Harris and then-Vice President Mike Pence. And in 2008, a record 69.9 million people watched Joe Biden and Sarah Palin on television, marking the most-watched vice presidential debate as per Nielsen.
Viewership patterns in the television industry have undergone significant changes lately. Nevertheless, the Walz-Vance debate managed to secure a place as one of the most-watched single broadcasts of 2024 in the United States.
The majority of viewers seemed satisfied with the debate, praising its relatively respectful and courteous tone.
CNN's pollsters reported "no clear winner," but "the debate left viewers with more favorable opinions of both candidates than before." More than half of the viewers felt the debate's tone was optimistic, CBS announced later.
Conventionally, the vice presidential debate follows the presidential debates. However, Trump has remained adamant against participating in further debates, which may make the Walz-Vance debate the final debate of this election cycle.
The Harris campaign acknowledged that she will be in Atlanta on October 23, the day CNN had extended an invitation for a debate, suggesting that Trump should engage with voters again. Trump retorted on Truth Social, "I defeated Biden, I then defeated her, and I'm not interested in doing it again, long into the future."
The high viewership numbers of the Walz-Vance debate highlight its significance in the media world of business, attracting over 43 million viewers across various TV channels and online platforms. Subsequently, the debate's positive reception in the polls and among viewers underscores its potential impact on political campaigns.
