The 2021 State of the Union address from President Joe Biden was viewed by fewer Americans than any other such address in history, according to Nielsen ratings. Just 24.1 million viewers tuned in across the major networks and cable news outlets, down from the previous low of 33.3 million in 2018.
The ratings drop was particularly stark among the 18-49 demographic, with only 7.6 million viewers in that age group tuning in. This is a sharp decline from the 11.7 million viewers in the same demographic who watched President Donald Trump’s address in 2020.
The low viewership is likely a combination of factors, including the fact that the speech was Biden’s first as president, and that it was delivered in the middle of a pandemic. It was also the first time in recent memory that the speech was not broadcast live, as the networks opted to air the address on a delayed basis.
The ratings drop could be seen as a sign of Americans’ waning interest in political discourse, a trend that has been growing for years. However, the address still drew more than double the audience of the 2021 Golden Globe Awards, which drew only 11.3 million viewers.
It remains to be seen whether the low ratings will have any long-term impact on the Biden administration’s messaging efforts. For now, the president’s team will have to look for other ways to reach the American public.
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