More TV Viewers Tune Into DNC

Early-round TV presidential cable news ratings have given the Democratic National Convention slightly higher marks among TV viewers than the Republican National Convention.

During a three-hour prime-time block on the three main cable news networks the total viewership was at 8.8 million viewers versus 7.6 million for the first night of the RNC coverage. Generally, viewers moved along party lines when it came to their cable news network preference. The first night of DNC coverage gave MSNBC -- which typically grabs more Democrat viewers -- a Nielsen preliminary 3.3 million viewer total; CNN was at 3.0 million and Fox News Channel was at 2.5 million. Looking at the key news advertising sales viewer group, adults 25-54, MSNBC had 1.1 million; CNN, 1 million; and Fox News, 554,000.