Headlines trumpet the Biden-Palin debate as being record-setting, but reporters are using raw data which do not account for the election-to-election increase in population. For comparisons to be meaningful, we need to look at relative numbers, such as percentages. In that analysis, 2008 is a virtual tie with 1984, which also featured a woman on the ticket.
This chart illustrates that vice presidential debate viewership, as a percentage of the total US population, has varied between 10 and 25 percent since 1976. The notable exceptions: 1984, when Democrat Geraldine Ferraro debated Republican Vice President George Bush (24%); 2008, when Republican Sarah Palin debated Democrat Joe Biden (23%); and 1976, when Democrat Walter Mondale debated Republican Bob Dole (20%). The least watched: Gore-Kemp in 1996 (10%).
We know that about 35% more people watched the vice presidential debates than watched the first presidential debate. Why do we seem more interested in watching the debates that include women? What other factors might be at play?
Also see Historical TV Ratings For Presidential Debates
The viewership data are from Nielsen and do not include PBS station estimates. The "percent population" is my measurement, not one used by the TV industry. It is simply Nielsen data divided by population using these population statistics.
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SARAH PALIN is a HOOD ORNAMENT on the TRUCK that AMERICA is about to be THROWN UNDER!!
Show You Know . . .