President Biden‘s 2024 State of the Union address garnered significant attention, attracting over 32 million viewers, marking an 18% increase from the previous year, according to Nielsen ratings. The majority of viewers, about 74%, were aged 55 and above, while only 5% were in the coveted 18-34 age demographic.
Among the television networks, Fox News emerged with the highest viewership among cable channels, narrowly surpassing ABC. However, despite the uptick in ratings, Biden’s speeches continue to fall short of the averages set by former Presidents Trump and Obama.
The address drew criticism from Republicans for its perceived hyper-partisanship, with GOP lawmakers heckling Biden throughout his speech. The President’s focus on various issues, including border security and international aid, received mixed reactions.
Despite the criticisms, Biden’s speech included calls for the Senate to pass a stalled border security bill that includes provisions for supporting Ukraine and Israel. However, the President faced some missteps during his address, including mispronouncing the name of a nursing student allegedly killed by an undocumented migrant.
While Biden’s State of the Union address saw increased viewership compared to the previous year, it still reflects a broader trend of declining viewership for such speeches compared to previous administrations.
