The first presidential debate of the 2024 cycle, hosted on Thursday by CNN, attracted nearly 48 million viewers, according to early data provided by the network — far fewer than 2020’s first debate, which drew 73.1 million.

The drop was not surprising. Thursday’s debate occurred far earlier in the calendar than past debates, which have generally aired in the fall, and at a time of year when many Americans have not fully tuned into the presidential contest.