In The New York Times today, Brian Stelter asks cable news executives why this year’s primary debates are generating such high ratings. The story also has set-top box ratings for the Bloomberg TV debate from Kantar Media.
What explains the fact that debates this year are garnering almost twice as many viewers as any of the early debates, Democratic or Republican, did four years ago? Cable news executives don’t know for sure, but they have theories. Chief among them is that widespread anxiety about the economy and disapproval of the political system is building viewership…
Other theories involve livelier contenders, showier production values for the debates and an increase in online chatter about them — some of the same traits that make reality TV shows successful.
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