Donald Trump is summer's biggest TV hit, and ratings gold for cable news

Donald Trump has become the star of the summer's biggest TV hit — news coverage of his quest for the Republican nomination.

The unpredictable front-runner's news conferences, speeches and interviews are ratings gold whenever he shows up on CNN, Fox News Channel or MSNBC. The audience of 24 million viewers for Fox's Republican Primary debate on Aug. 6 was a record for cable news and three times as large as the channel expected. Based on that performance, the Sept. 16 GOP debate with Trump and his competitors at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library in Simi Valley is expected to be the most watched event ever on CNN. And the network is cashing in on the anticipation. CNN is not disclosing its ratings projections or ad prices, but competitors are hearing that advertisers are being asked to pay in the range of $150,000 for a 30-second spot, a figure more in line with a hit prime time entertainment show.