TV audience for Biden inauguration tops Trump’s viewership four years earlier

Roughly 40 million people watched live coverage of Democrat Joe Biden’s inauguration as U.S. president on six TV networks, according to Nielsen data released on Thursday, a 4% increase over the number that tuned in for Donald Trump’s swearing-in four years ago.

The figure covers the 30-minute span starting at 11:45 a.m. EST on Wednesday, when Biden took the oath of office and delivered his inaugural address from the U.S. Capitol. It includes the audience on broadcasters ABC, CBS and NBC and cable channels Fox News, CNN and MSNBC.

In 2017, about 38.3 million people watched Republican Trump’s inauguration and speech on those networks. The swearing-in of Democrat Barack Obama in 2009 as the first Black U.S. president drew 51.2 million viewers.