Thu
Sep 4 2008
04:08 pm
RNC ratings, day three
By: R. Neal

RNC, Day 3: 37,244,000 viewers
DNC, Day 3: 24,029,000 viewers

Source: Nielsen:

• The Sara Palin speech generated 37.2 million viewers, just a 1.1 million viewers short of Barak Obama’s record-breaking speech on Day 4 of the Democratic Convention. The Palin speech was carried on only six networks while the Obama speech was carried on ten (including BET, TV One, Univision and Telemundo).

• Palin attracted a large female audience (19.5 million women, or 4.9 million more than Day 3 of the Democratic Convention).

• Ratings for viewers 55+ (25.2) continue to be about ten times higher than for teens (2.2)

• Day 3 for the GOP attracted more Hispanic viewers (1.4 million) than Day 3 of the Democratic Convention (1.2 million), even though Univision and Telemundo did not carry the speech.
CathyMcCaughan's picture

How many networks covered

Submitted by CathyMcCaughan on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 4:25pm.

How many networks covered each convention?

R. Neal's picture

From the Nielsen press

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 4:40pm.

From the Nielsen press relase:

Republican Convention Notes:
2008 Networks Included
Day 2 – CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC
Day 3 – CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC

Democratic Convention Notes:
2008 Networks Included:
Days 1, 2, 3 - ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, BET, TV One
Day 4 - ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, BET, TV One, Univision, Telemundo

I guess C-SPAN and PBS don't count as networks or something.

Rachel's picture

The #s I saw last week

Submitted by Rachel on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 5:21pm.

The #s I saw last week specifically said they did not include PBS, CSPAN, or anyone who watched on streaming video.

I'm not surprise Palin drew a big audience last night; people wanted to find out more about her. I'm not sorry either, since I don't think either her speech or Rudy's played well with independents.

I'm betting the #s go down tonight.

tennesseevaluesauthority's picture

I guess C-SPAN and PBS don't

Submitted by tennesseevalues... on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 6:43pm.

I guess C-SPAN and PBS don't count as networks or something.

I don't believe either network pays Neilsen to have their ratings measured, so they don't exist in that measurement system.

tennesseevaluesauthority's picture

PBS

Submitted by tennesseevalues... on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 6:47pm.

Update: I found this link on Fox News of all places.

PBS also televised the speech, but didn’t pay Nielsen for a count of its national viewership. Based on a sample of several large cities, PBS estimated that an additional 4 million people saw the speech on its network. C-SPAN, which also televised the speech, has no estimate of its audience.

R. Neal's picture

That's what I was thinking.

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 5:25pm.

That's what I was thinking. Everybody know Barack Obama and Joe Biden, yet they still want to hear them speak. Nobody knows Sarah Palin, and everybody's curious about her. I expect the novelty will wear off pretty quick after the convention.

Dixie Belle's picture

What about when you add in

Submitted by Dixie Belle on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 9:53pm.

What about when you add in the 80,000 folks who showed up in person to watch him?

Oops, sorry, wrong day.

CathyMcCaughan's picture

They might have better

Submitted by CathyMcCaughan on Fri, 2008/09/05 - 1:19pm.

They might have better numbers if the news people would STFU and let us listen to what is being said on the stage and in the audience.

tennesseevaluesauthority's picture

They might have better

Submitted by tennesseevalues... on Fri, 2008/09/05 - 2:06pm.

They might have better numbers if the news people would STFU and let us listen to what is being said on the stage and in the audience.

I keep saying this every 4 years...

PBS. No talking during the major speeches and you get to hear most of the minor ones as well (during the prime time coverage). It's the best way to go if you don't have cable and can't watch C-SPAN.

Pam Strickland's picture

PBS. It was the network of

Submitted by Pam Strickland on Fri, 2008/09/05 - 7:25pm.

PBS.

It was the network of choice for me. A very good deal.

Pam Strickland

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut

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