|
Just two million people tuned in live to watch Sky News's coverage of the second leaders’ debate last night. The first debate on ITV pulled in over nine million viewers, but the Murdoch owned station has been praised for rising to the challenge and is widely seen as hosting a superior programme. Nick Clegg securing equal billing with the two main parties was not the only coup in this UK media first - BSkyB has seemingly hauled itself level with broadcasting giant the BBC and ITV. That feat is said to be down to Sky pushing for the debate in the first place. Last nights political ding dong risked being a Cameron love in given that corporation’s other organ, The Sun has pledged its support for the Tory leader but host Adam Bolton has been praised as a balanced and better chairman. Despite Sky News being available only on Freeview, Freesat or digital, the seemingly low rating of 2.1 million still charts as the channels highest ever broadcast. Seated and not a piece of plastic The host and even the stage was a drastic improvement on the plastic Granada setting with the brand logo emblazoned throughout in an American style red, white and blue backdrop. Bolton, who sat, gave the ninety minute debate more authority than Alastair Stewart of Police, Camera, Stop fame and left the leaders to it. Given that last weeks journey into the unknown produced a tense, staggered performance from all three candidates this debate was predictably more fluid and gave way to direct interjections. However, Bolton did stretch the rules and lightly editorialised, switching into interviewer mode by bringing up Clegg's front page story in the Daily Telegraph over payments into his bank account by party backers. Clegg looked visibly annoyed and dismissed the story as “complete nonsense”. Will the station again be allowed to host such a grand occasion?
The numbers game
The debate was also shown on BBC television with well over a million people watching the clash on the BBC News Channel. Over half a million also tuned in on Sky3 with some 310,000 watching BBC2's repeat of the debate later in the evening. ITV's debate saw a peak audience of 10.3 million at 9pm - Sky reached 4.6 million between 9pm and 9.15pm. John Ryley, head of Sky News, said: "It is clear that the leaders' debates have struck a chord with the British public and energised the election campaign, just as we hoped they would when we called on the three main party leaders to join in a televised debate. I am delighted that so many people chose to watch Sky News' coverage on all of the platforms where it was available."
|
