UPDATE 1-13.1 million TV viewers watch opening day of U.S. impeachment hearings

The first televised hearing of the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump on Wednesday attracted 13.1 million viewers across six broadcast and cable networks, according to preliminary ratings data released by CNN on Thursday.

The early figures suggested the total audience would fall short of the TV viewership for other recent political events that riveted the country. About 20 million U.S. TV viewers watched congressional testimony in 2018 of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the Stanford University professor who accused him of sexual assault.

The figures will be updated later on Thursday when Nielsen issues final data.

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