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AP Photo VP debate ratings lowest since 2000

Last night's vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Tim Kaine had fewer TV viewers than any VP debate since 2000.

According to ratings data from Nielsen, the four broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox) and the big three cable news channels (CNN, Fox News and MSNBC) averaged around 36 million viewers. Those numbers do not include people watching on channels like PBS, Fox Business Network or C-SPAN, or anyone streaming the debate online.

For comparison, the 2012 VP debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan averaged over 51 million viewers. The 2008 debate between Biden and Sarah Palin set a high watermark for viewership with 70 million, while the 2004 debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards averaged just under 44 million viewers. The 2000 debate between Cheney and Joe Lieberman averaged 29 million viewers.

While final viewership numbers will be released later this afternoon, the ratings so far suggest that total viewership will be less than half of what the first presidential debate between Donald trump and Hillary Clinton saw. That debate averaged 84 million viewers.

Among the broadcast networks, NBC led the way with just over 7 million viewers, followed by CBS with 6.5 million (CBS News' Elaine Quijano moderated the debate), ABC News with 6.1 million, and Fox with 2.2 million. On cable news, Fox News led the way with 6.1 million viewers, followed by CNN with 4.2 million, and MSNBC with 3.1 million. NBC led the broadcasters in the key adults 25-54 demo, while CNN led cable news in that demo.