Biden speech draws more broadcast viewers than Trump's first TV address

[March 13, 2021]    LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's prime-time address on the fight against COVID-19 attracted more broadcast television viewers on Thursday than former President Donald Trump's first speech to the nation, according to preliminary ratings data.

President Joe Biden delivers his first prime-time address as president, marking the one-year anniversary of widespread shutdowns to combat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and speaking about the impact of the pandemic from the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., March 11, 2021. REUTERS/Tom Brenner

Roughly 18.2 million people watched Biden's speech on U.S. broadcast networks ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, Hollywood publications Deadline and The Wrap reported on Friday. The speech was delivered just hours after Biden signed a $1.9 trillion stimulus bill into law, and came on his 50th day in office..

Trump's first televised address to the country occurred in August 2017 -- seven months after he took office -- when he spoke about the war in Afghanistan. That event attracted 17.7 million viewers on the four broadcast networks.

Updated figures that include cable TV viewership were expected to be released later on Friday.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Leslie Adler)

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