A family watching the debate. (TIME)
Televising the Debate Made it More Engaging and Accessible to Voters
A Turning Point for Politics
Televising the debates did have a significant effect on political participation of the time. Just under 70 million viewers tuned in to experience the candidates firsthand. In the New York Times, political figures expressed excitement about the new "stimulus to participation in public affairs." People were pleased with the "dignified and constructive innovation in television campaigning" and felt it was "adopted in the nick of time to bring the domestic political contest back to the forefront of national concern." The increase in viewers also played a part in the quality of the debate, "discussion was on the high road and the issues, not personal invective." Many felt that the debate had "established the precedent of a new tradition in American politics." The 1960 debate marked a new frontier in politics for many years to come.
Jackie Kennedy and others watching the debate. (Deadline)
Household TV Ratings
In 2008, Nielsen Media Research ranked the top ten presidential debates with the highest Household TV rating (seen below). The 1960 debates take 4 out of the top 5 spots, proof of the historic viewership of these debates.
Viewers watching the debate through a shop window. (The New Yorker)
Household presidental debate ratings, ranked. (Nielsen Media Reasearch, 2008)