TV Ratings for 3rd Debate Fall Short
The third debate between Al Gore and George W. Bush drew an estimated 37.65 million viewers Tuesday night, slightly more than their second meeting but far short of the first.
The audience held steady even though viewers had several alternatives. Fox’s broadcast network showed an episode of its “Dark Angel” series and some NBC stations aired the New York Yankees-Seattle Mariners baseball playoff game.
The first face-off between the two candidates on Oct. 3 drew an estimated 46.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. That’s more than the first meeting between President Clinton and former Sen. Bob Dole in 1996, but a far cry from the 60 million-plus audiences who tuned into the debates in previous elections.
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