More Americans tuned to NBC News and MSNBC combined for coverage of the third and final 2016 presidential debate than any other broadcast or cable television network. According to Nielsen Media Research fast national data, the two networks drew a combined total of 15.9 million viewers. Additionally, the broadcast network led across the board in post-debate analysis.
The
NBC News broadcast network coverage (9-10:36 pm ET) averaged 10.4 million total viewers, outperforming
CBS by 273,000 (+3%). Among A25-54 viewers,
NBC News averaged 4.5 million viewers, leading
ABC by 107,000 (+2%) and
CBS by 769,000 (+21%). In A18-49,
NBC averaged 4.1 million, topping
ABC by 176,000 (+5%) and
CBS by 934,000 (+30%).
In post-debate analysis,
NBC averaged 8.273 million total viewers, outperforming
ABC by 45,000 (+1%) and
CBS by 885,000 (+12%). Lester Holt, Savannah Guthrie, and Chuck Todd anchored
NBC News' primetime coverage live from the debate hall in Las Vegas, joined by Tom Brokaw, and others.
MSNBC's coverage of the debate (9-10:45pm ET) averaged 5.5 million total viewers, 1.8 million A25-54 viewers and 1.5 million A18-49 viewers. This marks MSNBC's second-largest debate audience ever and highest-rated debate in the key A25-54 demo for the 2016 election cycle. MSNBC's demo audience grew from the first to second to third debate, while
CNN declined from the second debate.
Rachel Maddow and Brian Williams anchored MSNBC's coverage, joined by Chris Matthews and the full team of
NBC News and
MSNBC correspondents and contributors.
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