TV news ratings surged with Trump felony conviction coverage. Here’s how it was covered
As a dedicated follower of current events and someone who has witnessed many historical moments unfold through the lens of television, Thursday’s conviction of former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts was an unprecedented event that left me in awe. I have seen my fair share of political drama and scandals, but nothing quite compares to the intensity and gravity of this moment.
Over 15 million people tuned in to their TVs on Thursday as the news broke that Donald Trump, a former US president, was officially classified as a felon following a conviction.
Around 1:45 p.m. Pacific time, there was a significant increase in viewership for cable news and broadcast networks as they announced a New York jury’s decision to find Donald Trump guilty of 34 felony counts in the New York hush money case. These charges stemmed from falsified business records regarding a payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election.
According to Nielsen’s statistics, a large number of viewers were tuned into Fox News during that hour, making it the most-watched network at the time. This popularity is largely due to their hit talk show “The Five.” Fox News continued to air with anchor Shannon Bream until approximately 2:43 p.m. Before long, the co-hosts of “The Five” weighed in with strong criticisms from Fox News’ pro-Trump commentators regarding the verdict.
During the Pacific time slot between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., Fox News had an average of 4.7 million viewers. Normally, they attract approximately 3 million viewers. The judgement began being announced at 2:06 p.m.
As a movie critic, I’d put it this way: MSNBC drew an impressive crowd of 3.7 million viewers during that pivotal hour, almost doubling their usual numbers for Nicolle Wallace’s show. CNN didn’t lag behind, either, with a significant surge in viewership bringing in 2.6 million people.
Based on the preliminary numbers from Nielsen, I’m excited to share that ABC outperformed other broadcast networks during the 1:48 p.m. Pacific time slot with an impressive viewership of 3.4 million people tuning in for our special report. In comparison, CBS News drew a audience of 2.5 million viewers. Unfortunately, we don’t have data on NBC’s viewership yet.
In comparison, the viewership for that event is significantly larger than what we can expect from the overall television audience.
As a supporter, I can tell you that viewing the verdict of a courtroom case involving a former president like Trump is an unprecedented situation. Contrary to expectations, the verdict wasn’t announced on Thursday when most people were either at work or making their way home. Instead, many individuals tuned in via their phones to stream the outcome of this historic event.
During prime time on the East Coast, between 5 and 8 p.m. Pacific Time, MSNBC’s show headed by Rachel Maddow attracted 3.4 million viewers, marking an unusual victory over Fox News with 3 million viewers. CNN managed to draw in 1.25 million viewers during this period. MSNBC, known for its progressive leanings, typically gathers larger audiences when news is unfavorable towards Trump.
At 8 p.m. Eastern time, MSNBC gained the most strength with the appearance of Michael Cohen as a guest. His testimony, which was crucial for the prosecution’s case against Trump, was featured during this broadcast.
Based on the audience’s tribal affiliations, the tone of the news coverage diverged. Fox News, which caters to conservatives, was displeased with the verdict, viewing it as an attempt to interfere in elections in favor of President Biden, who is set to challenge Trump once more in the 2024 presidential election in November.
“It seems we should all start buying our clothes from Banana Republic instead, as it gives that sensation, a Banana Republic-like experience,” expressed Laura Ingraham on Fox News.
The court’s work earned praise from the set at MSNBC.
“Cohen responded to the verdict with, ‘This is just what America requires at this moment.’ He emphasized the importance of holding lawbreakers accountable, explaining, ‘As we repeatedly stress, nobody is exempt from the law. Today’s judgment serves as a reminder of that.'”
Maddow expressed concern over the apparent divide along partisan lines.
“Maddow pointed out that if Trump was acquitted by the Republicans, they would have cheered the outcome. However, their criticism of a conviction stems from disliking the verdict itself. What needs attention is the underlying issue: one political party disregards the rule of law. This is a serious warning sign for our country.”
CNN made an effort to present a balanced perspective by inviting Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche for an interview with anchor Kaitlan Collins. However, due to CNN’s third place ranking behind Fox News and MSNBC in cable news audience, viewers seem to prefer opinion hosts who align with their own viewpoints.
As a long-time news anchor with extensive experience under my belt, I can attest to the complexities and intricacies of navigating stories that touch upon political opinions, especially for those of us who typically avoid wading into such waters. This past Wednesday was a case in point when I found myself in the crosshairs of former President Trump’s criticism.
In simpler terms, Bream explained that the legal ruling released the Biden-Harris team to label Trump as a convicted felon in political discourse.
TV news outlets must decide on the amount of coverage to give to former President Trump during his return to the campaign scene from legal proceedings.
On Friday, Trump made an announcement and planned to hold a press conference at Trump Tower in Manhattan’s atrium. Among broadcasters, only NBC interrupted their normal programming to air the conference live.
During his appearance, Trump declined to answer any questions and instead voiced numerous complaints and criticisms towards President Biden. He even alleged that the Democratic government aims to take away people’s cars.
The other major news networks, including NBC, CNN, and MSNBC, distanced themselves from Trump’s comments due to their inaccuracies. In contrast, Fox News aired the speech in its entirety.
I’m excited to share that I’ll be privy to Donald Trump’s initial post-verdict interview during the upcoming Sunday broadcast of “Fox & Friends” on Fox News.
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2024-07-18 22:47