DNC Ratings Surge as 29 Million Tune in to Harris’ Acceptance Speech

The recent Democratic National Convention saw a significant boost in viewership, largely attributed to Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign momentum. According to Nielsen data, Harris’ acceptance speech attracted 29 million viewers across 15 networks, surpassing the 25.4 million who tuned in to former President Trump’s speech on July 19 by 14%.

Harris’ viewership numbers also exceeded the 24.6 million who watched President Joe Biden’s acceptance speech in 2020 and were nearly on par with Hillary Clinton’s 29.8 million viewers in 2016. Harris’ success can be partly attributed to the brevity of her 37-minute speech, in contrast to Trump’s lengthy address, which lasted over 90 minutes and concluded well past midnight on the East Coast.

The Democratic National Convention’s success in ratings extended throughout the week, with Harris leading viewership over the Republican event each night. Following President Biden’s unexpected decision to end his reelection campaign on July 21, Harris assumed the top position on the ticket, rallying discontented Democratic voters who were concerned about another face-off with Trump.

In her speech, Harris emphasized her personal journey by sharing biographical details and discussing her background as a California prosecutor. Additionally, there were rumors that pop icons like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift might perform at the convention, which likely contributed to the heightened interest and attendance.

In swing states crucial for the upcoming election, Harris outperformed Trump significantly. For instance, her audience in Philadelphia was 50% larger than Trump’s, with increases of 36% in Detroit, 31% in Raleigh, North Carolina, and 21% in Atlanta. However, she did lag behind Trump by 10% in Milwaukee, where the Republican National Convention took place.

MSNBC reported its highest viewership for a Democratic convention, averaging 6 million viewers on Thursday and 5.2 million throughout the event. CNN took second place for the week with an average of 3.6 million viewers, followed closely by ABC with 3.3 million, NBC with 2.5 million, CBS at 2.2 million, and Fox News averaging 2.4 million viewers.

Significantly, MSNBC outperformed CNN in attracting viewers in the coveted 25-to-54 age demographic, marking a shift as CNN had previously led in this category by substantial margins in past years.

Fox News, known for its conservative leanings, made an effort to incorporate more Democratic voices in its coverage this year, booking four times as many Democratic officials as in 2016. Yet, the network still remains a less popular choice for Democratic conventions.

Following Harris’ speech, Trump appeared on Fox News to voice his criticisms, expressing his views while actively engaging with the show’s anchors. Fox News maintained its position as the most viewed network during the Republican convention, averaging 6.6 million viewers over four nights and peaking at 9.8 million during the final session.

Moreover, it’s worth noting that Harris’ speech was likely viewed by many more via streaming platforms. Fox Corp.’s LiveNOW, which offers news without commentary, peaked at 117,000 concurrent viewers on Thursday and averaged 75,000 throughout the convention week.

Although CNN has not publicly shared its streaming numbers from its platform, it did indicate that the four days of the convention ranked among the top ten for daily usage since its launch last fall. Overall, the Democratic National Convention has set a positive tone for the Harris campaign, showcasing a strong rallying point for the party as election temperatures rise.

Source: Los Angeles Times