President Donald Trump’s interview with ABC News was the top-rated program on broadcast Wednesday night and that is no alternative fact.
Airing at 10 p.m., Trump’s first broadcast interview averaged a 1.7 rating in the key adults 18-49 demographic and 7.5 million viewers. That puts it head and shoulders above its nearest competition like “Lethal Weapon” on Fox and “Hunted” on CBS.
In the interview, Trump repeated the unfounded claim that millions of illegal votes were cast in the 2016 election. “When you look at the people who are registered, dead, illegal, and two states … We have a lot to look into,” Trump told David Muir.
ABC tied for first in the key demo with a 1.3 rating overall but finished second in total viewers with 5.4 million, airing only repeats until the Trump interview at 10.
Fox tied for first in the key demo with a 1.3 rating but came in third in total viewers with 5.1 million viewers. “Lethal Weapon” stayed solid at 8 with a 1.4 rating and 6.3 million viewers. “Star” followed at 9 with a 1.2 rating and 3.9 million viewers.
CBS finished third in the demo with a 1.2 rating but first in total viewers with 5.5 million. Two new episodes of “Hunted” aired at 8 and 9. The first episode drew a 1.3 rating and 5.5 million viewers. The second got a 1.4 rating and 5.4 million viewers. “Code Black” closed out at 10 with 0.9 rating and 5.6 million viewers.
NBC finished fourth overall with a 0.9 rating and 4.6 million viewers, airing only repeats.
Univision finished fifth with a 0.7 rating and 2 million viewers.
Telemundo finished sixth with 0.6 rating and 1.5 million viewers.
The CW came in seventh with a 0.4 rating and 1.3 million viewers. “Arrow” managed a 0.6 rating and 1.7 million viewers at 8. The season finale of “Frequency” ticked up slightly to a 0.3 rating and 825,000 viewers.