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Nielsen
Television Ratings
for Each of the Presidential Debates
from 1960 through 2000
Courtesy of Nielsen Media Research
|
Year
|
Networks
|
Candidates
|
Date
|
Total
Rating
|
Total
Homes (millions)
|
Total
Persons (millions)
|
|
1960
|
ABC,
CBS, NBC
|
Kennedy-Nixon
|
Sept.
26
|
59.5
|
28.1
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N/A
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Oct.
7
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59.1
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27.9
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N/A
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Oct.
13
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61.0
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28.8
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N/A
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Oct.
21
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57.8
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27.3
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N/A
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1964
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NO
DEBATES
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1968
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1972
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1976
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ABC,
CBS, NBC
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Carter-Ford
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Sept.23
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53.5
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38.0
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69.7
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Oct.6
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52.4
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37.3
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63.9
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Oct.
22
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47.8
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34.0
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62.7
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1980
|
ABC,
CBS, NBC
|
Reagan-Carter-Anderson
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Oct.28
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58.9
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45.8
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80.6
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1984
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ABC,
CBS, NBC
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Reagan-Mondale
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Oct.
7
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45.3
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38.5
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65.1
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Oct.21
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46.0
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39.1
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67.3
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1988
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ABC,
CBS, NBC
|
Bush-Dukakis
|
Sept.
25
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36.8
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33.3
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65.1
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Oct.
13
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35.9
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32.5
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67.3
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1992
|
ABC,
CBS, NBC, CNN
|
Clinton-Bush-Perot
|
Oct.
11*
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38.3
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35.7
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62.4
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Oct.15
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46.3
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43.1
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69.9
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Oct.
19
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45.2
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42.1
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66.9
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1996
|
ABC,
CBS, NBC, CNN,
FOX
|
Clinton-Dole
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Oct.
6
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31.6
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30.6
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46.1
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Oct.
16**
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26.1
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25.3
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36.3
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2000 |
ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, MSNBC, FOXNC |
Bush-Gore
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Oct. 3 |
31.7 |
32.4 |
46.6 |
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Oct.11 |
26.8 |
27.4 |
37.5 |
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Oct. 17 |
25.9 |
26.3 |
37.7 |
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Source:
Nielsen Tunes into Politics 1992.
* Does not include CBS. ** Does not include FOX
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