Though Trump heads into office with historically low approval ratings, just 40 percent in favour, approval doesn’t have as much correlation with inauguration television ratings as might be believed; record-setter Reagan’s inauguration actually saw him enter the White House on relatively low approval ratings, marked as favourable by just 58 percent of Americans.
The record is still currently held by Ronald Reagan, whose inauguration saw a whopping 41.8 million viewers tune in; George W. Bush’s 2001 inauguration averaged 29 million viewers, Bill Clinton’s in 1993 saw 29.7 million viewers, George W.H. Bush’s saw a modest 23.3 million viewers in 1989, and Jimmy Carter reached 34 million viewers.
Perhaps it’s just that Donald Trump isn’t so gifted as drawing a crowd as he says he is.
Fox proved the leading network in terms of ratings, being the only channel which actually saw viewership rise from 2009; with NBC finishing in second place, topping all of the broadcast set.