Ratings Review: 2016 Republican National Convention

All three major broadcast networks and the three nation cable news networks devoted time each night to carry the Republican National Convention. The broadcast Networks gave up their 10 PM time slot for each night, while the cable networks were full coverage, from start to finish.

Monday Night highlights included speeches from Marcus Luttrell, U.S. Navy SEAL, Pat Smith, Mother of Benghazi victim, Sean Smith, David Clarke, Sheriff of Milwaukee County, Rudy Giuliani, Former Mayor of New York City, and Melania Trump, Businesswoman and Wife of Donald Trump.

Tuesday night speakers included Sharon Day, Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee, U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Governor Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey, Tiffany and Donald Trump Jr. (children of Donald Trump), and Dr. Ben Carson, Neurosurgeon.

Wednesday Speakers in primetime were Eileen Collins, Astronaut (retired), Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, and Indiana Governor Mike Pence.

Thursday, the final night of the convention, included U.S Representative Marsha Blackburn, Reince Priebus, RNC Chairman, Ivanka Trump, Daughter of Donald Trump and Donald J. Trump, Republican presumptive candidate for President of the United States.

Network	Mon*	Tue*	Wed*	Thu*	AVG*
ABC^	3.64 (0.7)	2.34 (0.5)	2.32 (0.5)	3.88 (0.8)	3.05 (0.6)
CBS^	2.69 (0.5)	2.54 (0.5)	2.60 (0.5)	3.81 (0.7)	2.91 (0.6)
NBC^	3.91 (0.7)	4.68 (1.0)	5.07 (1.1)	4.59 (1.1)	4.56 (1.0)
FOX News^^	5.50 (0.7)	4.80 (0.6)	5.81 (0.8)	7.21 (1.0)	5.83 (0.8)
CNN^^	3.60 (0.8)	2.79 (0.5)	3.00 (0.6)	4.32 (0.9)	3.43 (0.7)
MSNBC^^	1.93 (0.3)	1.54 (0.3)	1.64 (0.2)	2.36 (0.4)	1.87 (0.3)

* - Viewers in millions (A18-49 rating)
^ - Broadcast Networks 10PM ratings
^^ - Cable Networks primetime average