Democratic Convention Sees Surge in Viewership Amidst High-Profile Appearances

Democratic Convention Surges Ahead in Viewership

It may have been the intrigue surrounding an untested candidate rising to prominence at the last moment, or perhaps the star-studded appearances by familiar faces like Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, and Kerry Washington that drew attention. The rampant speculation about a potential surprise appearance by Beyoncé certainly added to the excitement. Regardless of the reasons, the Democratic Party celebrated a significant victory this week in one of the year’s most noteworthy media competitions: which political convention could captivate more viewers.

The four-day event in Chicago honoring Vice President Kamala Harris attracted an average of 21.8 million viewers on television over its duration, as reported by Nielsen on Friday. This figure represents a 14 percent increase compared to the Republicans’ convention held last month in Milwaukee, which was a four-day showcase for former President Donald J. Trump.

However, the gap between the two conventions narrowed significantly on the final day, when each party’s presidential nominees delivered their pivotal speeches. On Thursday, during Ms. Harris’s acceptance address, 26.2 million viewers tuned in. In contrast, Mr. Trump’s speech, his first extensive address since surviving an assassination attempt, drew 25.4 million viewers in July — a mere 3 percent difference.

When considered independently, Ms. Harris’s 40-minute speech averaged an impressive 28.9 million viewers according to Nielsen. Mr. Trump’s 92-minute address, while initially peaking at 28.4 million viewers, saw a decline as he continued speaking late into the night.

While live TV ratings serve as a valuable indicator of the nation’s attention economy, they do not present a complete picture. Notably, the Nielsen data excludes those who may have streamed the conventions through their smartphones or laptops. To reach voters who are less inclined to watch traditional television, Democrats actively encouraged podcasters and social media influencers to share brief video clips from Chicago.

This year’s convention ratings also highlighted the increasing partisanship in televised news coverage. During the Republican convention, Fox News dominated the ratings race, outperforming its network competitors by a substantial margin, while the Democratic convention saw a clear leader emerge: MSNBC. The cable network, known for its liberal viewership and featuring personalities like Rachel Maddow and Joy Reid, surpassed all other networks—including ABC, CBS, and NBC—in total convention viewership.

Remarkably, this year marked MSNBC’s largest audience for a Democratic convention since its inception in 1996, a significant achievement given the challenges posed by the growing trend of cord-cutting that has drastically reduced cable subscriptions.

Meanwhile, CNN, which has faced its own difficulties in the ratings arena, managed to attract more viewers in the key demographic of adults aged 25 to 54 during its Democratic convention coverage than any other network. MSNBC narrowly missed out in this category, trailing CNN by a margin of roughly 1 percent.

CNN’s new leadership is actively seeking to engage a broader, less partisan audience. The network has already played a pivotal role in the current election cycle, as it was CNN’s presidential debate in June that ignited a whirlwind of events leading to Ms. Harris’s prime-time address on Thursday.