Ratings Analysis: The first and only vice presidential debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz occupied the airwaves on Tuesday night, but the ratings were generally lower than the Pence-Harris debate from 2020. Host network CBS (1.68) easily led the way in the Adults 18-49 demographic, while NBC (1.11) and ABC (1.00) placed second and third respectively. Fox (0.54) was last amongst the broadcast networks. The race was much closer in the 8 p.m. time slot as CBS's pre-debate broadcast (0.50) was only a few ticks above ABC's (0.48) and NBC's (0.44). On the CW, WWE NXT (0.26) got off to a strong start and bested Fox drama Murder in a Small Town (0.21, -0.01).
Time | Show | 18-49 Rating | 18-49 Share | Viewers (mil) | Network |
8 PM | America Decides: Campaign '24 | 0.50 | 6 | 3.70 | CBS |
| Race for the White House
| 0.48 | 6 | 3.59 | ABC |
| Debate Countdown: Vance vs. Walz | 0.44 | 5 | 3.13 | NBC |
| WWE NXT
| 0.26 | 3 | 0.90 | CW |
| Murder in a Small Town | 0.21 | 2 | 1.96 | Fox |
9 PM | CBS News Vice Presidential Debate | 1.68 | 14 | 9.57 | CBS |
| CBS News Vice Presidential Debate | 1.11 | 9 | 5.67 | NBC |
| CBS News Vice Presidential Debate | 1.00 | 8 | 6.35 | ABC |
| CBS News Vice Presidential Debate | 0.54 | 4 | 2.48 | Fox |
10:30 PM | Debate Analysis | 1.09 | 11 | 5.99 | CBS |
| Debate Analysis | 0.79 | 8 | 4.75 | ABC |
| Debate Analysis | 0.62 | 6 | 3.81 | NBC |
Cable:
Show | Network | 18-49 Viewers | Viewers (mil.) |
CBS News Vice Presidential Debate | Fox News | 0.88 | 7.93 |
MLB Wild Card: Braves v. Padres | ESPN | 0.79 | 2.93 |
CBS News Vice Presidential Debate | CNN | 0.69 | 3.37 |
CBS News Vice Presidential Debate | MSNBC | 0.51 | 4.88 |
Jesse Watters Primetime | Fox News | 0.48 | 4.74 |
WNBA Playoffs: Aces v. Liberty | ESPN2 | 0.21 | 0.97 |
WNBA Playoffs: Sun v. Lynx | ESPN2 | 0.15 | 0.67 |
CBS News Vice Presidential Debate | Newsmax | 0.08 | 0.95 |
Last Bite Hotel | Food | 0.05 | 0.36 |
CBS News Vice Presidential Debate | Fox Business | 0.04 | 0.28 |
American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez | FX | 0.03 | 0.14 |
House of Payne | BET | 0.03 | 0.22 |
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