The TV Ratings Guide’s 2020 US Presidential Election Coverage

Today is the presidential election in the United States, which will feature incumbent Republican President Donald Trump and his Vice President Mike Pence facing off against former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate, California Senator Kamala Harris. The Republican majority in the US Senate is also endangered as Democrats seek to gain the three seats they need for control. Meanwhile, continued Democratic control of the US House seems to be a safe bet. Here on The TV Ratings Guide, we'll be covering the elections for all federal races, as well as gubernatorial races in the few states that those will be held.

Wednesday Cable Ratings 10/7/20: CNN Tops Fox News for Vice Presidential Debate Coverage, Archer Drops, Hannity and Tucker Jump

 

Below are the top 25 programs on cable on Wednesday, 10/7/20. Items of note include the 2020 Vice Presidential Debate on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, Archer on FXX, and MLB on TBS.

(Click the names of the shows written in teal or blue to be taken to their pages in the TV Ratings Guide Cable Database.)

Wednesday TV Ratings 10/7/20: Vice Presidential Debate with Pence and Harris Rises from 2016, The Masked Singer Drops, Coroner Grows from Devils in Viewers (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: Vice-president Mike Pence and senator Kamala Harris sat down for a much more civil debate than their bosses had, with ratings fairly in-line with the 4-year ago Pence v Kaine debate. ABC led the pack once more with a robust 1.9 A18-49 rating, seven-tenths above what the 2016 VP debate did (1.2). The alphabet network might have benefited from starting their night off with a 'Pence vs Harris' special (0.9). They closed things out with an impressively high 'Debate Analysis' (1.3). NBC's debate broadcast (1.3) significantly trailed the 1.9 it posted in 2016 but also had slightly less lead-in help than ABC from a steady 'Weakest Link' (0.8). 'Debate Analysis' (1.0) similarly fell behind the alphabet network. 

Fox's debate broadcast (1.1) actually went four-tenths above 2016 (0.7) but the debate also had a stronger lead-in than four years ago ('The Masked Singer' 1.4; vs. New Girl; 1.0). Airing before the debate, 'The Masked Singer' (1.4) dropped an alarming five-tenths following last week's stellar resurgence. Pending adjustments, this could end up being a new series low for the reality series. CBS's debate telecast (1.0) was fairly in-line with 2016, leading out of a declining 'Big Brother' (0.9) and leading into 'Debate Analysis' (0.7). The CW had the debut of acquired series 'Devils' (0.1) and a steady 'Coroner' (0.1).

You can read more about Vice-president debate ratings HERE. 

Finals Update: 2020 Vice Presidential Debate coverage on ABC (+0.3), NBC (+0.3), Fox (+0.1) and CBS (+0.1), Debate Analysis on ABC (+0.3), NBC (+0.1) and CBS (+0.1), The Masked Singer (+0.1) and Big Brother (+0.1) adjusted up. Pence vs. Harris: The VP Debate (-0.1) adjusted down.

Breaking Down the Ratings of the 2016 Vice Presidential Debate Ahead of the Pence/Harris Debate

Even amid a White House COVID pandemic that has impacted President and First Lady Trump, Press Secretary McEnany and Senator Thom Tillis, among many others, Vice President Pence is healthy and preparing for a debate with Joe Biden's running mate, California Senator Kamala Harris. Pence last hit the debate state four years ago, on October 4, 2016. There, he faced Hillary Clinton's running mate, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. Unlike the presidential debates, in which polls all pointed to Clinton as the big winner, Pence was seen to have the upper-hand in this debate, with a CNN poll giving him a six-point advantage over Kaine. The debate was seen as having little practicality, as the candidates interrupted themselves too often to discuss the issues (sound familiar?). CBS's Elaine Quijano moderated.