Trump Speech Ratings Beat Romney, Trailed McCain

Donald Trump's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention reaped huge ratings with some 31.5 million viewers — higher than the 30.3 million
Mitt Romney pulled in 2012, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

But the billionaire real estate tycoon's numbers still fell short of those of John McCain.

The Arizona senator had nearly 40 million viewers when he accepted the Republican nomination in 2008, the entertainment trade publication says of the figures from Nielsen Media.

Fox News drew the biggest audience last night, getting 7.18 million total viewers in prime time, according to preliminary data released Friday by the networks. CNN delivered its own highest-ever audience for a Republican National Convention, attracting 4.32 million total viewers. MSNBC got 2.4 million.

In the 25-to-54 age demographic that advertisers target in newscasts, Fox drew 1.73 million viewers, CNN got 1.38 million and MSNBC had 716,000.

The viewership numbers for Trump's speech could rise when final Nielsen data are released.

Bloomberg contributed to this report.

Related Stories:

• CNN Says Its GOP Convention Day 1 Ratings Tripled From 2012
• Mark Burnett to Promote Melania as 21st Century 'Jackie O' at Convention