Viewership analysis by Samba TV, the leading provider of global TV data and audience analytics, finds that 10.2 million US households viewed the Nevada Democratic presidential debate on February 19. This represents a 126% increase from the previous New Hampshire debate. This was the largest debate audience so far in 2020.

This immediate analysis is derived from the Samba TV panel of 3.4 million US households and represents the most accurate measurement of actual viewing habits of US households across both linear television and OTT viewing. 

The candidates came to make their final pitch to Nevada voters, who will be heading to the final caucuses on Saturday, Feb. 22, but voters from across the country tuned-in in large numbers to see New York’s former mayor take the debate stage for the first time. Empire State viewership over-indexed the national average by 28%. DC’s political elite also tuned-in for the raucous debate with viewership in the nation’s capital over-indexing the national average by 62%.

“The Bloomberg effect was on full display in last night’s debate as more than ten million households tuned in to see the former mayor live, on stage, for his first debate performance,”  said Dr. Jeffrey Silverman, Director, Data Science & Analytics, Samba TV. “Wednesday night’s debate experienced a massive increase in viewership over the previous debate with more than twice as many households watching the NBC News sponsored contest than the previous NH debate.  This was likely the largest debate audience of the election and by far the largest audience in 2020.  Voters in Bloomberg’s home state of New York tuned-in in large numbers to hear from their former mayor with the state’s viewership over-indexing the national average by 28%.” 

Samba TV owns the world’s largest data and measurement capabilities by having opt-in proprietary code on 26 million connected televisions.  The company’s US panel is 30 times larger than legacy measurement providers and allows Samba to analyze the data in far more granular and accurate ways that truly represent actual US viewership behaviors. 

About Samba TVSamba TV is a San Francisco-based data and analytics company focused on a next-generation television experience that helps viewers discover and engage with relevant content, and enables brands and agencies to address and measure that engagement effectively. Samba’s insights are built on the world’s most comprehensive source of real-time viewership data across broadcast, cable TV, OTT, and digital media. Through software embedded in smart TVs, amplified by set-top boxes and mapped to connected devices, Samba TV amplifies media investment and activates cross-screen campaigns. For more information, please visit platform.samba.tv and follow @Samba_tv.

Media Contacts:PR@Samba.tv