President Biden’s State of The Union Speech Drew 38.2 Million Viewers

By
( )
last updated

Biggest audience since 2019

Joe Biden State of the Union

President Biden’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday drew an estimated audience of 38.2 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

The audience topped Donald Trump’s last State of the Union in 2020, which drew 37.2 million viewers, but didn’t match the 46.8 million who tuned in Trump in 2019. 

Nielsen’s figures for this year’s speech included out of home viewing and viewing via connected TV. CTV viewing can account for as much as 13% of the audience for televised political events, Nielsen said.

Biden’s speech drew a 22.4 household rating and 27.4 million total households.

There were 25.4 million viewers ages 55 and up and 2.7 million in the 18 to 34 age bracket.

The networks included in Nielsen’s total included ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox Telemundo Univision, NBC, NBC LX, PBS, Black News Channel, CNBC, CNN, CNNe, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, Newsmax and NewsNation.  ■

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.