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2024 Vice Presidential Debate Draws Over 43 Million Viewers

1 minute read | October 2024

NEW YORK October 2, 2024 An estimated 43.15 million viewers watched the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate across 15 networks on Tuesday, October 1, according to Nielsen.

The first and only VP debate of the 2024 election was held at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City, and featured Republican VP nominee, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and Democratic VP nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

The debate aired live from approximately 9:00 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. ET on Tuesday evening. A full list of reported networks can be referenced in the viewership table below.

Live plus same day, U.S. audience estimates.

Viewing AudienceRating
Persons 2+43,145,00013.6
Households30,035,00023.9
Persons 18-343,013,0004.2
Persons 35-549,469,00011.5
Persons 55+29,652,00029.4

Source: Nielsen. NNTV, Live+Same-Day.

Data in this table is inclusive of broadcast and cable networks that aired the event

Reported networks include: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Merit Street Media, Scripps News, CNN, CNNe, FOX News Channel, FOX Business Network, MSNBC, NBC Universo, Newsmax, NewsNation, PBS.

Audience estimates are inclusive of out-of-home viewing for all reported networks except Merit Street Media, Newsmax, NewsNation, PBS and Scripps News which do not include out-of-home contributions.

Audience projections are rounded to the nearest thousand (000).

Lauren Pabst
lauren.pabst@nielsen.com