Commentary

CNBC Next Up For GOP Debate Ad Bonanza

Good luck, CNBC: Now it’s your turn to pull in those soaring prime-time viewing numbers and big advertising dollars from the next Republican Presidential Debate.

CNN just pulled 23 million viewers for the second debate, after Fox’s 24 million viewer total in August -- all because of the dramatic, back-biting remarks from the candidates, many with particular aim at the walking sound bite machine Donald Trump. Carly Fiorina’s sharp comeback to Trump’s earlier remark about her ‘face”; Jeb Bush’s in asking Trump for an apology concerning something said about Bush’s wife; and Chris Christie put the kibosh on both Farina and Trump’s successes -- and failures -- in running being prominent business executives.

CNBC will look for the same for the third debate on Oct 28. The good or bad news for TV marketers comes in the lead-up to the primetime event -- in the daytime hours.

Just wondering if Trump will make the same request of CNBC that he did to CNN: That CNN should donate its windfall advertising money to armed forces’ veterans?

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The reality show will continue. And just as TV producers of reality shows tell contestants to “show their emotions,” we are guessing queries to the candidates from CNBC anchors will hope to produce, in part, the same effect for viewers -- as well as a few economic answers.

What can you expect? Deliver for the TV viewers. And the voters? Head to those candidates' websites and survey boring position papers for the real deal -- for the moment, anyway.

For Trump, we can only hope he keeps to the script, or... er, seemingly, the lack of one. It’s what he does best.

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