Emily Elconin, Reuters
- 47.9 million people watched the debate across all networks.
- CNN may have been the host, but the network didn't have the most television viewers — Fox News did.
- Viewership is down from prior years, as a record 84 million watched the Trump-Clinton debate in 2016.
Last night's presidential debate attracted 47.9 million viewers across networks, according to early Nielsen numbers, making it the most-watched non-sporting event of the year. Still, audience numbers paled in comparison to previous years.