TV Ratings: Bill Clinton Boosts Democratic National Convention Night 2 Over RNC

TV Ratings: Bill Clinton Boosts Democratic National Convention Night 2 Over RNC

The second night of the Democratic National Convention scored big with NBC in preliminary ratings. The Peacock drew 5.46 million total viewers and a 1.3 rating in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic during the 10 p.m. hour, more than the demo average for ABC and CBS’ coverage combined. ABC weighed in with 3.43 million and a 0.7; CBS with 2.51 million and a 0.4. That means 11.4 million tuned in to either of those three nets to see former president and possible future First Gentleman Bill Clinton deliver a lengthy speech in praise of official Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton, with a 2.4 demo rating in total.

Like the first night of DNC coverage on the broadcast nets, that beats out its Republican National Convention counterpart. Last week’s RNC night two drew 10.1 million total viewers and a 2.1 demo rating in the early ratings.

However, comparisons with 2012’s DNC might get a little tricky. NBC didn’t cover the second night of the 2012 DNC because it had a special NFL kickoff game on Sept. 5 (New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys), likely siphoning a large portion of the audience away. Also, the DNC was held over the course of three nights last election, and so while the first and last nights make for an easy apples-to-apples deal, nights two and three for 2016 might both have to settle for a 2012 night two comparison. In 2008, NBC, CBS and ABC combined for a total audience of 13.7 million, with a 2.7 demo rating.

Previously in the evening, NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” notched a 2.2 demo rating and 10.14 million viewers. ABC’s “The Bachelorette: The Men Tall All” special drew a 1.3 and 4.99 million. On CBS, a new “Zoo” at 9 p.m. drew a .8 demo and 4.07 million viewers. Fox’s “Hotel Hell” weighed in with a 0.9 and 2.48 million at 8 p.m., followed by “Coupled” with a 0.5 and 1.14 million, just barely ahead of the premiere of The CW’s “MADtv” revival (0.3/1.05 million) at 9 p.m. At 8 p.m. on The CW, a new “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” drew a 0.4 and 1.23 million viewers.

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