McCain speech more watched than Obama

[dbair1967]

September 05, 2008
Breaking: McCain beats Obama by 500,000
John McCain has won the ratings race.

The Republican nominee beat Democratic challenger Barack Obama's record-setting convention speech viewership by 500,000.

McCain's address at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night was seen by about 38.9 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. Obama received 38.4 million.

That means McCain's speech is now the most-watched in convention history -- 41% higher than President Bush's acceptance speech four years ago, and 1% higher than Obama's address last week.

Looking at the speech's audience demographics, McCain drew significantly more male viewers than Obama (16.2 million). McCain also drew more white viewers (32.2 million), while Obama was seen by more African Americans.


Though anticipation has been running high for McCain's address, the speech also may have benefited slightly from a strong NFL lead-in on NBC. Initially Republicans feared McCain might have to compete with the game for viewers' attention. But the NFL match started early, then put about 13.6 million viewers on the doorstep of NBC's 10 p.m. coverage of McCain's speech.

Still, NBC has aired the most-watched convention coverage among the broadcaster nets all week, and its numbers compared to rivals were not much different than on previous nights. In other words: the game may have helped, but it wasn't a major factor in McCain's massive viewership (even with the NBC receiving an NFL lead-in, Fox News is expected to win the network-by-network breakdown).

Also, with interest in his running mate Sarah Palin spiking viewership for the RNC on Wednesday, the convention was able to gain some significant momentum after losing its first night to Hurricane Gustav coverage. McCain received 5% more viewers than his running mate.

UPDATE:


FOX NEWS: 9.1MILLION
NBC: 8.7 MILLION
ABC: 6.0 MILLION
CBS: 5.3 MILLION
CNN: 4.8 MILLION
MSNBC: 2.5 MILLION

(from 10 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.)

[jimmy40]

In all fairness to Obama, Palin was a great set up for McCain. Biden just makes people want to puke.

[Doomsday101]

I watched on CSPAN I guess those numbers are not included in this report?

[dbair1967]

There's another point I dont think was mentioned in this article, but both Palin and McCain had their speeches on less channels, making the results even more remarkable IMO

[masomenos]

I watched on CSPAN I guess those numbers are not included in this report?

Yeah CSPAN and PBS aren't included in the viewership numbers.

[masomenos]

FOX NEWS: 9.1MILLION
NBC: 8.7 MILLION
ABC: 6.0 MILLION
CBS: 5.3 MILLION
CNN: 4.8 MILLION
MSNBC: 2.5 MILLION



Compared to Obama:

CNN: 8.1 MILLION
ABC: 6.6 MILLION
NBC: 6.1 MILLION
CBS: 4.7 MILLION
FOX NEWS: 4.2 MILLION
MSNBC: 4.1 MILLION

[Doomsday101]

Yeah CSPAN and PBS aren't included in the viewership numbers.

CSPAN was great to watch because you saw the entire convention without interruptions from journalist and their opinions. After each night was over of course I would go through the news outlets to hear their reaction but as far as viewing it and getting a feel for the convention I don't think any came close to CSPAN

[dbair1967]

I think everyone knows I'm conservative and I do love FOX News, but I admit I did watch the speeches (just the speech part) on CNN for one reason alone, because it was in HD and FOX isnt.

Anyone know why FOX News still doesnt broadcast in HD?

[joseephuss]

Looks like the NBC numbers got a jump due to the lead in of the first football game of the season being broadcast the same night.

[dbair1967]

Compared to Obama:

CNN: 8.1 MILLION
ABC: 6.6 MILLION
NBC: 6.1 MILLION
CBS: 4.7 MILLION
FOX NEWS: 4.2 MILLION
MSNBC: 4.1 MILLION

McCain 36.4 million, Obama 33.8

pretty interesting

[Achozen]

It's because Obama supporters know how to use computers and probably watched it online.

:D

[REDVOLUTION]

This election could come down to less than 500,000 votes... so this is interesting.

[masomenos]

There's another point I dont think was mentioned in this article, but both Palin and McCain had their speeches on less channels, making the results even more remarkable IMO

You know, I was thinking about this and I don't think it had a very large effect on Obama's numbers. It's like if the Super Bowl were shown on multiple networks with different announcers, I don't think that that the viewership would increase. For a large event like this it seems like the number of viewers is fairly fixed and if the speech hadn't been shown on, for example, BET then those people may well have just tuned into another channel. Was there some increase, I'm sure there was, but I doubt it's very significant.

Ultimately I don't think it matters and like I said in another thread, it's just fantastic that there's so much interest in this campaign. If this continues the debates very well may be considered "Must See TV" and we may have record turnouts in Nov.

[ConcordCowboy]

I think everyone knows I'm conservative and I do love FOX News, but I admit I did watch the speeches (just the speech part) on CNN for one reason alone, because it was in HD and FOX isnt.

Anyone know why FOX News still doesnt broadcast in HD?



While I don't watch Fox (big surprise) I was thinking the same thing about MSNBC.

How the hell in this day and age can you not have your channel in HD?

[ConcordCowboy]

It's because Obama supporters know how to use computers and probably watched it online.

:D


:muttley:

[masomenos]

McCain 36.4 million, Obama 33.8

pretty interesting

With all networks included I guess Obama still edged McCain out. But, in all fairness, like you said his speech was broadcast on more networks.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/05/mccain-scores-with-tv-viewers/

PBS viewers are not counted in Nielsen’s numbers but the public broadcaster estimated about 2.7 million viewers tuned in last night (compared to 3.5 million for Obama’s speech). If you were to add PBS’s estimated viewers into the mix, Obama slightly beat out McCain’s speech, 41.9 million to 41.6 million viewers.

[dbair1967]

You know, I was thinking about this and I don't think it had a very large effect on Obama's numbers. It's like if the Super Bowl were shown on multiple networks with different announcers, I don't think that that the viewership would increase. For a large event like this it seems like the number of viewers is fairly fixed and if the speech hadn't been shown on, for example, BET then those people may well have just tuned into another channel. Was there some increase, I'm sure there was, but I doubt it's very significant.

Ultimately I don't think it matters and like I said in another thread, it's just fantastic that there's so much interest in this campaign. If this continues the debates very well may be considered "Must See TV" and we may have record turnouts in Nov.

I think we'll see that these debates will be the most watched by far.

And I do think we'll have record turnouts as well. Which is good and bad IMO. It's great that so many will go do what they should and vote, but way too many go to the polls without having spent 10 minutes to read where the candidates stand on the key issues, and in some cases probably dont even know what the issues are. Same thing for all the non candidate related voting, alot of times they have no clue what they are voting on when they get there.

[masomenos]

And I do think we'll have record turnouts as well. Which is good and bad IMO. It's great that so many will go do what they should and vote, but way too many go to the polls without having spent 10 minutes to read where the candidates stand on the key issues, and in some cases probably dont even know what the issues are. Same thing for all the non candidate related voting, alot of times they have no clue what they are voting on when they get there.

Yeah that's very true. With record voting you'll also get record uninformed and misinformed voting.

[dbair1967]

Yeah that's very true. With record voting you'll also get record uninformed and misinformed voting.

It'll never happen, but thats is why I do support showing at least some basic politcal knowledge before allowing one to vote. Honestly if someone cant say who their US Congress-person is/was or who their two US senators are/were, they should probably be turned away.

Raising the voting age would be a pretty smart thing to do as well IMO.

[masomenos]

It'll never happen, but thats is why I do support showing at least some basic politcal knowledge before allowing one to vote. Honestly if someone cant say who their US Congress-person is/was or who their two US senators are/were, they should probably be turned away.

Raising the voting age would be a pretty smart thing to do as well IMO.

I would be against raising the voting age but I do think you're on to something about increasing the publics political knowledge. I think I'd make it a mandatory course in high school, maybe just taking the place of a required basic civics course. You could have it setup so ever student would take a course that covered state elections and national elections during their high school career. They'd actually read bills and watch speeches, maybe have mock debates. I think there could be a lot of value in a course like that.

[trickblue]

I would be against raising the voting age but I do think you're on to something about increasing the publics political knowledge. I think I'd make it a mandatory course in high school, maybe just taking the place of a required basic civics course. You could have it setup so ever student would take a course that covered state elections and national elections during their high school career. They'd actually read bills and watch speeches, maybe have mock debates. I think there could be a lot of value in a course like that.

The problem with that is that I now live in Austin (Berkeley East)... One week into school and my son's geography teacher is already indoctrinating the class with liberal political ideology. He's consistently repeated the junk about Palin on the internet and told them how good Obama would be for America and how evil Republicans are...

I'd rather him just teach my son where Australia is on the map...

[masomenos]

The problem with that is that I now live in Austin (Berkeley East)... One week into school and my son's geography teacher is already indoctrinating the class with liberal political ideology. He's consistently repeated the junk about Palin ont he internet and told them how good Obama would be for America and how evil Republicans are...

I'd rather him just teach my son where Australia is on the map...

Yeah I was thinking about that as I was typing, it's the same argument that's used against teaching Creationism/Intelligent Design in schools. Can it be done impartially? Of course some teachers would respect the intention of the class, but there would undoubtedly be others who perverted what the class was intended to do.

edit: That's pretty ridiculous about your sons geography teacher though.

[CanadianCowboysFan]

In all fairness to Obama, Palin was a great set up for McCain. Biden just makes people want to puke.

and one was after the long weekend, the other before, people on holidays etc

anyway, not sure why it makes any difference, 500000 is pretty insignicant in a country of what 320 million?

[dbair1967]

The problem with that is that I now live in Austin (Berkeley East)... One week into school and my son's geography teacher is already indoctrinating the class with liberal political ideology. He's consistently repeated the junk about Palin on the internet and told them how good Obama would be for America and how evil Republicans are...

I'd rather him just teach my son where Australia is on the map...

All the more reason to support candidates that support SCHOOL CHOICE

[zrinkill]

The problem with that is that I now live in Austin (Berkeley East)... One week into school and my son's geography teacher is already indoctrinating the class with liberal political ideology. He's consistently repeated the junk about Palin on the internet and told them how good Obama would be for America and how evil Republicans are...

I'd rather him just teach my son where Australia is on the map...

I would complain

[Dallas]

I would complain

I hope he would. I know I would.

[CanadianCowboysFan]

The problem with that is that I now live in Austin (Berkeley East)... One week into school and my son's geography teacher is already indoctrinating the class with liberal political ideology. He's consistently repeated the junk about Palin on the internet and told them how good Obama would be for America and how evil Republicans are...

I'd rather him just teach my son where Australia is on the map...

I could see it in a government class but not in a geography class. Reminds me of when I was in Grade 4 and our teachers were having difficulty with the government in Quebec. One student said his parents thought we should all write a letter to the Premier asking him to be fair to the teachers. My mom was against it but being I was 9 and everyone else in the class was writing the letter, I did too. When I told my mom she was livid, not at me but at the teacher for having her students do her dirty work for her. She went right to the school and complained. The teacher apologized.

As for teaching him where Australia is, you might be expecting too much from his teacher, he might not even know himself ;)

[trickblue]

I would complain

I hope he would. I know I would.

I have. I sent an anonymous letter to the principal as my son is new and I don't want him singled out as having a dad that's an arse (they'll all figure that out later)... :D

I was very nice and just pointed out that political ideology is better suited to the family as opposed to the geography teacher...

I could see it in a government class but not in a geography class. Reminds me of when I was in Grade 4 and our teachers were having difficulty with the government in Quebec. One student said his parents thought we should all write a letter to the Premier asking him to be fair to the teachers. My mom was against it but being I was 9 and everyone else in the class was writing the letter, I did too. When I told my mom she was livid, not at me but at the teacher for having her students do her dirty work for her. She went right to the school and complained. The teacher apologized.

As for teaching him where Australia is, you might be expecting too much from his teacher, he might not even know himself ;)

I agree. No way ideology doesn't come about in Governement class, but it should be equal on both sides. My HS Government teach was an avowed Democrat, but we had a blast discussing all aspects and sides. It's the way it should be done...

I may ask him to point out a few countries on the map when we meet some day... :D

[ABQCOWBOY]

I have. I sent an anonymous letter to the principal as my son is new and I don't want him singled out as having a dad that's an arse (they'll all figure that out later)... :D

I was very nice and just pointed out that political ideology is better suited to the family as opposed to the geography teacher...



I agree. No way ideology doesn't come about in Governement class, but it should be equal on both sides. My HS Government teach was an avowed Democrat, but we had a blast discussing all aspects and sides. It's the way it should be done...

I may ask him to point out a few countries on the map when we meet some day... :D

Or, you could just threaten him with a bullet to the old brain pan and break out the old taser gun. :laugh2:

[SuspectCorner]

I watched the RNC - gee, I must be a Republican...

[AbeBeta]

Can anyone post how these things usually play out on TV? It seems to me that the 2nd convention of the bunch is going to always get more viewers b/c of the set up from the first.

[burmafrd]

So much for the claim that Obama has so much more interest.

And when you think that the Hurricane was taking a lot of attention at the time the fact that the RNC ratings did not seem to take a hit says quite a bit right there.

[dbair1967]

I watched the RNC - gee, I must be a Republican...

and couldnt the same apply for the dem convention?

although I will admit, I didnt watch one second of it