CNN’s deal to produce the first debate of the 2024 presidential election cycle is a major coup for the news network. It won’t let viewers forget it. The scheduled showdown between the presumptive nominees, President Biden and former President Trump, is the first time in history that a single TV network has landed exclusive rights to present a general election debate.
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. It’s a much-needed win for the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned news network that has been racked by executive shakeups , budget cuts and declining ratings in recent years.
And CNN isn’t going to let such a stature-building opportunity go to waste. Instead of the blue background showing the constitution, as seen in previous presidential debates, viewers will see the red CNN logo. The event will provide a major platform for CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, who will serve as moderators at the network’s studio in Atlanta.
But the potential for blockbuster ratings on CNN will be mitigated by the network’s decision to provide a feed of its production to other networks and digital outlets. CNN is making the offer as a public service. Every presidential debate held since 1960 has aired commercial free across the major broadcast networks and, in later years, on cable news outlets.
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