New York Times: “CNN outmaneuvered its competitors to land the event after Mr. Biden said in May that he would not cooperate with the Commission on Presidential Debates, which had sponsored general-election debates since 1987. Instead, Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump agreed to meet under the auspices of individual networks; a second matchup is scheduled for September on ABC.”
“Within the cutthroat TV news industry, the debate is seen as an enormous marketing coup for CNN, which even at a time of austerity for cable television has stood out for ignominious reasons. The channel is currently on track for its lowest-rated month in prime time since 1991, with fewer than 100,000 average viewers a night among adults 25 to 54, according to Nielsen.”
