President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden during the first 2020 presidential debate at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. The first presidential debate in 2020 between the same two candidates attracted an audience of 73 million viewers, making it one of the last mass audience experiences left in a highly fragmented TV landscape. Every presidential debate held since 1960 has aired commercial free across the major broadcast networks and, in later years, on cable news outlets CNN, Fox News and MSNBC. CNN is also requiring other outlets to refer to the event as the “CNN Presidential Debate.” If a network runs any on-air promotions or advertising for the telecast, it must be referred to as the “CNN Presidential Debate Simulcast” and use artwork provided by CNN. One of the major networks would provide cameras and other technical assistance but had no influence on the production.

Source: CNN June 15, 2024 00:17 UTC