The CutlineCNN to host yet another Republican presidential debate, in Arizona
CNN, which has hosted two Republican debates this year and already had a third slated for October, has announced yet another presidential debate for 2011. The network will co-host a presidential debate with the Arizona Republican Party on Dec. 1.
As previously announced, CNN and the Western Republican Leadership Conference will present a Republican debate on Oct. 18 in Las Vegas.
The network was criticized for co-hosting a debate with the Tea Party Express earlier this month, but the Sept. 12 broadcast gave CNN a rare ratings victory over its cable news rivals Fox News and MSNBC.
Fox News has hosted three Republican presidential debates this year; NBC News co-hosted one with Politico, which also drew relatively big ratings for MSNBC.
Bloomberg TV is set to host its first-ever presidential debate next month at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. The Oct. 11 debate, co-sponsored by the Washington Post and WBIN-TV of Derry, N.H., will focus solely on the economy.
Here's how the debates to date have fared in the ratings race:
1. Sept. 22, 2011 | Fox News
TOTAL VIEWERS: 6,107,000 25-TO-54-YEAR-OLDS: 1,701,000
2. Sept. 7, 2011 | NBC/MSNBC
TOTAL VIEWERS: 5,411,000 25-TO-54-YEAR-OLDS: 1,728,000
3. August 11, 2011 | Fox News
TOTAL VIEWERS: 5,050,000 25-TO-54-YEAR-OLDS: 1,426,000
4. Sept. 12, 2011 | CNN
TOTAL VIEWERS: 3,613,000 25-TO-54-YEAR-OLDS: 1,132,000
5. May 5, 2011 | Fox News
TOTAL VIEWERS: 3,258,000 25-TO-54-YEAR-OLDS: 854,000
6. June 13, 2011 | CNN
TOTAL VIEWERS: 3,162,000 25-TO-54-YEAR-OLDS: 918,000
Source: Nielsen
