Viewing for the first two nights of the Democratic National Convention was 23% higher over the same period compared to viewing of the Republican National Convention in July.

The DNC averaged 20.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen -- with 15.4 million viewers 55 years and older, coming from 13 networks on the first night of the convention and 12 on the second night. 

The best results were for day two, when former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama spoke -- averaging 20.8 million. Former Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was a speaker on the first night, when there were 20.0 million viewers.

The first two days of the RNC averaged 16.5 million viewers, from 12 networks on day one and 11 networks on day two. The first day of the four-day event pulled in 18.1 million, with 12.6 million viewers 55 years and older.

Four years ago, for the first two nights of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, there were 19.4 million viewers -- from 10 networks. The 2020 Republican National Convention posted 18.2 million average viewers over the first two nights -- from 11 networks.

For the prime-time daypart, where these events typically run, TV networks air limited brand advertising/messaging. 

For example, for the first three DNC nights for this year’s event (August 19-21), there were 35 commercial airings on MSNBC, 43 on Fox News Channel and 68 on CNN, according to EDO Ad EnGage.

By comparison, for the week before (August 12-14), there were 318 prime-time commercials on MSNBC, 251 on Fox News Channel, and 282 for CNN.