57.5 million viewers watched the debate that took place in the US, between Kamala Harris and he Donald Trumpaccording to preliminary data from Nielsen.
Tuesday night’s debate was the first time candidates in the Nov. 5 presidential election met in person.
The viewership surpassed the roughly 51 million people who watched Trump debate then-presidential candidate Joe Biden in June.
Final data later
The metrics do not capture the full extent of online viewing, which has grown in popularity as traditional TV audiences have declined. Nor do they reflect viewers who watched the telefight in bars and restaurants. Final audience data, including those viewers, will be available later in the day.
The record for a televised presidential debate was set in 2016, when 84 million people watched Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton take on Donald Trump.
Sources: AMPE, Reuters