David Muir's Ratings Drop Following Debate Moderation Criticism
ABC’s “World News Tonight” Ratings Plunge
ABC’s “World News Tonight” has seen a significant drop in ratings following the backlash over host David Muir’s moderation of the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Viewership Decline After the Debate
According to the New York Post, “World News Tonight” was averaging about 7.6 million viewers per night for most of 2024, prior to the debate on September 10th. However, in the first three episodes after the debate, the show's viewership dropped to an average of about 6.7 million viewers, a decrease of approximately 12%.
Trump's Criticism of Muir
Following the debate, President Trump criticized Muir at campaign rallies. Trump and his supporters felt that Muir and co-moderator Linsey Davis failed to fact-check Vice President Harris's statements while repeatedly challenging President Trump's remarks. Trump stated that he had lost respect for Muir and claimed the debate was unfairly biased against him.
Linsey Davis's Justification
Davis defended her performance during the debate, citing the lack of fact-checking in the CNN debate on June 27th between President Trump and Joe Biden. She claimed that people were concerned that statements were allowed to go unchallenged by either Biden or the moderators.
Post-Debate Fact-Checking
ABC did not fact-check any of Harris's statements until after the debate. Martha Raddatz, a correspondent for ABC, confirmed that Harris had falsely stated that there is “not one member of the United States military who is in active duty in a combat zone in any war zone around the world.”
Bottom Line
The backlash against David Muir's moderation of the presidential debate has led to a significant drop in ratings for ABC’s “World News Tonight". This situation raises questions about the role of moderators in political debates and the importance of fact-checking. What are your thoughts on this issue? Share this article with your friends and let us know your opinion. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6pm.
