The viewership of the nationally televised public impeachment hearings dropped more than one million viewers in its second session.
Nielsen Media Research released data showing a precipitous drop in impeachment hearing viewership just two days in. While the first day of testimony drew nearly 14 million, Friday’s hearing brought just over 12.7 million to watch the case against President Donald Trump unfold.
Fox News drew the most individual viewers, with 2.8 million, and CNN brought up the rear with just over 1.6 million. All told, the Trump impeachment process is drawing 35% fewer eyes than the highly publicized 2017 testimony of former FBI Director James Comey to the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Even testimony by former Trump attorney Michael Cohen eclipsed these proceedings with 15.8 million, and, despite a lack of the finality that many in the opposition expected, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees in July still pulled 13 million on the air.
It is unclear whether the dwindling attention is the result of the dryness of the process itself or simple voter fatigue with the entire affair. Time will tell whether the Democrats on Capitol Hill can revive the fervor they are striving to ride into the Oval Office in 2020.