ABC News anchor David Muir saw his ratings fall sharply after moderating the recent presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Muir’s nightly news show, World News Tonight, experienced a 12% drop in viewership in the days following the debate, from 7.6 million to 6.7 million viewers, according to the New York Post.
Muir, along with co-moderator Linsey Davis, faced widespread criticism for what many saw as a biased approach during the debate. Critics argued that the moderators were unfair in their treatment of Trump, constantly fact-checking him while allowing Harris to go unchallenged on several points. Some of the fact-checks aimed at Trump were later found to be inaccurate.
The debate, which is expected to be the only face-to-face matchup between the two nominees, has sparked a heated response from conservative viewers and Trump supporters. Trump himself called out the moderators, claiming the debate was “one-sided” and “unfair.” He argued that if fact-checking was going to be enforced, Harris should have been held to the same scrutiny.
Despite retaining the top spot in evening news ratings, Muir’s decline is significant and could indicate a loss of trust among certain segments of the audience. The controversy over the debate’s moderation has led to further debate about media fairness and impartiality, particularly in high-stakes political events.
