By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Atlanta-based CNN drew 18 million viewers Tuesday night for the latest Republican debate, the second best ratings ever for CNN behind only the Republican debate in September (23.1 million.)
Another 3.1 million watched the debate on cnn.com via streaming.
The top-rated debate in history was the first one on Fox News in August, drawing 24 million. (DVR usage bumps that up to 25 million.)
Charles Barkley last week on sister station TNT said CNN has "sold its soul" for ratings. Indeed.
It's fair to say nobody is listening to former CNN anchor Campbell Brown's recent plea for media to stop talking about Donald Trump for a week.
NBC's 'The Voice" season finale still managed to draw 13 million viewers despite the competition.
CNN provided this chart:
TOP TEN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY DEBATES IN HISTORY (OVERNIGHT RATINGS)
- Fox News Republican Debate, Cleveland Ohio (8/6/2015) 23,997 million
- CNN Republican Debate, Reagan Library (9/16/2015) 23,056
- CNN Republican Debate, Las Vegas (12/15/2015) 18,039
- CNN Democratic Debate, Las Vegas (10/13/2015) 15,459
- CNBC Republican Debate, Boulder CO (10/28/2015) 14,005
- FBN Republican Debate, Milwaukee, WI (11/10/2015) 13,454
- ABC Democratic Debate, Philadelphia (4/16/2008) 10,693
- ABC Democratic Debate, New Hampshire (1/5/2008) 9,362
- CBS Democratic Debate, Des Moines (11/14/2015) 8,552
- CNN Democratic Debate, Los Angeles (1/31/2008) 8,324
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