Over 20 Million Viewers Tune In for Third Night of DNC, per Nielsen Ratings
For the third consecutive evening, the Democratic National Convention has attracted over 20 million viewers, according to data from Nielsen.
Stars such as John Legend and Oprah Winfrey graced the stage Wednesday, alongside a keynote speech from Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz.
On Wednesday, about 20.2 million viewers watched the event, slightly down from 20.8 million on Tuesday and compared to 20 million on Monday, as reported by Nielsen in a release on Thursday. This contrasts with the Republican National Convention’s third night in July, which saw around 18 million viewers.
The younger audience, aged 18 to 34, has increased by 13.5% from Monday to Wednesday, reflecting a growing interest among younger viewers, according to Nielsen data.
Analysts note that while convention viewership generally tends to decrease over time, surprising elements can help attract larger audiences.
A Look at Previous RNC and DNC Ratings
In measuring convention viewership, Nielsen assesses the proportion of TV-owning households that tuned in. The Nielsen data on Wednesday night included viewers from 12 different TV networks.
The household rating for the third night of the 2024 Democratic convention stood at 11.9, according to Nielsen’s report.
Typically, the last day of the conventions attracts the largest number of viewers.
Here’s a breakdown of the Nielsen ratings for recent conventions:
2024 RNC
- 2024 RNC Day 4Â – 14.3
- 2024 RNC Day 3 – 10.6
- 2024 RNC Day 2 – 8.9
- 2024 RNC Day 1 – 10.6
2020 RNC
- 2020 RNC Day 4Â – 14.7
- 2020 RNC Day 3 – 11.0
- 2020 RNC Day 2 – 12.2
- 2020 RNC Day 1 – 10.7
2020 DNC
- 2020 DNC Day 4Â – 15.6
- 2020 DNC Day 3 – 14.6
- 2020 DNC Day 2 – 12.6
- 2020 DNC Day 1 – 12.7
How to View the Democratic National Convention
The convention is being held this week from Monday through Thursday at the United Center, home to the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks. Chicago has hosted the Democratic Convention 11 times, the last occurrence being in 1996 when President Bill Clinton was nominated for a second term at the United Center.
The event will be broadcast live via its official website, from the United Center in Chicago, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central).
