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[RastaMentality]

84 million viewers

The contentious first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump lived up to its big ratings expectations with an estimated average TV viewership that will top the previous record of 80.6 million.

The total average audience for Monday’s matchup for the ad-supported broadcast and cable networks as well as PBS came in around at 84 million, according to Nielsen numbers.

Monday’s faceoff tops the previous record for a presidential debate set when Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan clashed on Oct. 28, 1980. It was their only meeting of that year’s presidential campaign, which occurred in an era when U.S. households had only a handful of channels to choose from.

The total across broadcast and cable networks measured by Nielsen for the Clinton-Trump debate does not include viewers who watched the debate through various video streams available online. Streaming likely cut into the TV audience number as younger viewers have turned to digital devices to watch programs and live events since the 2012 presidential debates, the highest of which averaged 67.2 million viewers.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...et-ct-debate-ratings-20160927-snap-story.html

 

[Kathian]

Peak will be interesting.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

 

[Dries]

Sooo is there anyway to watch the full debate living in The Netherlands?

 

[Dany]

Damn. That is impressive.

 

[Dishwalla]

And Trump thought the NFL game was going to steal ratings.

 

[Knuckle Sandwich]

Sooo is there anyway to watch the full debate living in The Netherlands?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQFGTDFvMSc

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

There was only one cartoon character on that stage.

 

[Camp Lo]

It was one of the most ridiculous debate I've ever seen.

I hope they show the next one in theaters like Playstation E3 conferences.

 

[Snaku]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

You can't be serious.

 

[BravesCountry]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

Here we go again. How did you get so smart and become so above it all?

 

[jmdajr]

That doesn't even count streams!

 

[DEO3]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

Clinton is probably the most qualified presidential candidate in modern history.

 

[OrionsNebula]

I wonder how much of this growth in viewership is because of an increase in this info all over the internet, so that it reaches a wider audience and therefore more people are interested in tuning in, or if it was just because of the nature of the two candidates.

 

[SpaceWolf]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

Clinton was a cartoon character?

 

[Daeda]

Sooo is there anyway to watch the full debate living in The Netherlands?

I watched it this morning over youtube (from NLD in case that's unclear). Just google it.

 

[HylianTom]

Excellent. Record-high viewership coinciding with Trump being a choker is a gift.

 

[EatinOlives]

And featuring Trump's most bumbling performance yet!

This debate couldn't have gone any better.

 

[Servbot24]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

Only one is a cartoon character. The other was forced to interact with a cartoon character.

 

[Shao Kahn on the Lawn]

I'm glad that one of the worst debate performances in history was seen by the widest audience.

 

[Anarky]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

Second post does not nail it.

 

[SwiftDeath]

NFL sending that time travelling letter to Trump as we speak

 

[Macho Madness]

I'll believe it but the article you linked doesn't say what your post says at all.

 

[Bad_Boy]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

I wouldnt say anything bad about hillary around here. Never ends well.

 

[jack_package_200]

I wouldnt say anything bad about hillary around here. Never ends well.

Criticism thats based in reality is allowed.

 

[Killer Queen]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

Eh, I can see where you're coming from when they got into a shouting match near the beginning but, after that no.

 

[USC-fan]

Most were expecting over 100 million. Doesn't seem that good.

 

[johnsmith]

If I was humiliated in front of this many people i would just die

 

[BravesCountry]

I wouldnt say anything bad about hillary around here. Never ends well.

Plenty of people have spoken eloquently on hillarys negative aspects without being vilified. People are tired of the drive by, intellectually lazy narrative of false equivalence that is obvious to anyone who has paid remotely close attention whether they are supporting Hillary or Trump.

 

[Mael]

So is that the biggest audience for a public execution?

 

[Lys Skygge]

80,000,000+ people watched Hillary wipe the floor with Trump. Fantastic.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Lmao triggering gaf over a joke that Hillary was swept into simply by being on the stage with Trump, absolutely no chill.

 

[The Kree]

I wouldnt say anything bad about hillary around here. Never ends well.

As long as you don't make shit up, draw false equivalences or make thinly disguised sexist comments, you should be OK.

 

[Fracas]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

Anyone with a fourth-grade level understanding of politics would disagree.

 

[SwiftDeath]

I'll believe it but the article you linked doesn't say what your post says at all.

It's awkward but another article hyperlinked within the article linked in OP is also drawn from.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/27/media/debate-ratings-record-viewership/index.html?iid=EL

Edit: Actually I just think OP linked to the wrong article

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

I wouldnt say anything bad about hillary around here. Never ends well.

Hillary has plenty to criticize, but she's not a cartoon character. Not even close to Trump's level.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Most were expecting over 100 million. Doesn't seem that good.

Probably if u count online streams

 

[Elandyll]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

That was more like a debate akin to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, with a real human on one end (Clinton, rational and composed), and a crazy evil toon on the other that is only pretending to be human (Trump).

 

[N.Domixis]

Nintendo and Sony missed a great opportunity to announce their consoles at the debate.

 

[RastaMentality]

Most were expecting over 100 million. Doesn't seem that good.

100 million overall. Which would include online streams. Probably true.

 

[matthieuC]

Most were expecting over 100 million. Doesn't seem that good.

If you include streams you'll likely hit 100 million or very close.

 

[Snaku]

It's awkward but another article hyperlinked within the article linked in OP is also drawn from.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/27/media/debate-ratings-record-viewership/index.html?iid=EL

Edit: Actually I just think OP linked to the wrong article

It says it drew 80.9 million, but the number to beat was 81 million. So how did this break the Reagan-Carter record?

Edit: Ah, missed the streaming/public viewing numbers.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Lmao triggering gaf over a joke that Hillary was swept into simply by being on the stage with Trump, absolutely no chill.

I'm voting for Clinton because I have to. It was a bad joke.

 

[Trojita]

So at least more than a 100 million. That's actually really good for American politic awareness.

 

[BSsBrolly]

80,000,000+ people watched Hillary wipe the floor with Trump. Fantastic.

Trump wiped the floor with himself. Hillary stepped out of the way.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

What a terrible night for Trump to bomb completely

Oh well. Sucks to be him I guess.

 

[Head of Vengarl]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

I keep seeing this shit all over Facebook and Reddit.

Like... what? How can you even compare the two? One of them showed up and acted like a professional/adult, and the other acted like a schoolyard bully who could hardly conjure up a single rational sentence. This sentiment of both of them being equally awful is just baffling.

 

[BronzeWolf]

OP's thesis is a good thing.

The more people outraged about Trump, the more people that will be motivated to vote. More people voting hurts Trump more.

Lmao triggering gaf over a joke that Hillary was swept into simply by being on the stage with Trump, absolutely no chill.

lol wat?

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I'm voting for Clinton because I have to. It was a bad joke.

Im not particularly enamored with her, but I know that if I have to choose one over the other, with the other being Trump, then it's a clear choice.

 

[Loudninja]

Trump wiped the floor with himself. Hillary stepped out of the way.

She did alot of work in the debate.

 

[Wilsongt]

It's the first debate that featured what was essentially cartoon characters who were ready to throw pies at each other.

Almost as bad as "neither candidate won and thr American people lost last night".

This revisionist history that Clinton is some diabolical shrew witch is fascinating and watch and see the justification for it.