How to Watch the Presidential Debates 2020: Find all about the Schedule & the Channels

The year 2020 has been a tumultuous time for the U.S., perhaps more so than any other country in the Western world. Along with the contagious COVID-19 and its aftermath, we’ve had to deal with widespread wildfires, socio-political unrest, and more. So it’s not just about natural calamities that have struck the U.S.

Police brutality raising its ugly head following the George Floyd episode and more, people taking to the streets nationwide as the lockdown began to ease out, widespread protests against racism, and slogans being raised for Black Lives. Such large-scale mobilization of the public hadn’t been seen for quite some time. Suffice to say the U.S.  is witnessing historic times, and while not much is in the hands of the common man, choosing the next head of state and consequently, the future sure is.

Before anyone can get to voting though, learning what each nominee stands for and what they plan to bring to the table is important. That’s the only way you can make the right choice. If you want to do your part, but find yourself wondering about how to watch the Presidential Debate, you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’ll go over the debate schedule, look into the channels that broadcast it, and the streaming services where you can access the discussion. So let’s get to it. The US Elections 2020 are just around the corner, and we must ensure we are as informed as we can be!

The Presidential Debate 2020 Schedule

According to the schedule, three presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate were to take place. Of the 3 presidential ones, the first debate has already taken place. The second was canceled following President Trump, the First Lady, and other White House staff members contracting COVID-19 soon after their return from the first debate venue. The second one would have fallen within the CDC’s recommended quarantine period of 14 days. For this reason, the Commission on Presidential Debate re-evaluated if the in-person discussion was really necessary and whether a virtual meeting would be the better choice. And, on October 8 it was announced the second debate would be held virtually. However, the President declined to participate in a virtual discussion resulting in the cancellation of Debate#2.

On the other hand, the VP debate went off without a hitch—besides changes that included doubled up “social distance” between Pence and Harris and the introduction of plexiglass barriers. If the COVID-19 situation does not take another unpredictable turn, we may see the next presidential debate taking place face to face as scheduled.

Here is all that need to know about the presidential debate 2020—venues, dates, timings, and channels airing these discussions.

Who is debating?	Date	Place	Time	Channels
Biden vs. Trump	Tuesday, September 29	Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio	9 pm EST	ABC, CNN, CBS, C-SPAN, FOX News, FOX,  NBC, and more
Harris vs. Pence	Wednesday, October 7	The University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah	9 pm EST	ABC, CNN, CBS, C-SPAN, FOX News, FOX,  NBC, and more
Biden vs. Trump	Thursday, October 15	Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida	9 pm EST	ABC, CNN, CBS, C-SPAN, FOX News, FOX,  NBC, and more
Biden vs. Trump	Thursday, October 22	Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee	9 pm EST	ABC, CNN, CBS, C-SPAN, FOX News, FOX,  NBC, and more

Ways You Can Watch Presidential Debates 2020 Live

While catching the season’s game is extremely hard if you’re not subscribed to the pricier, high-tier cable TV plans, presidential debates are purposely made easy to access. It is ensured more and more people can practice their civil and political rights. So, the chances of you missing the debate are downright impossible.

How to Watch Presidential Debates 2020 on TV

To start off, all major American networks like ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, and NBC will be broadcasting the debate. No matter which TV plan you may have, it is sure to feature more than one of these channels allowing you to watch the debate Live. In fact, even if all you have is an HDTV antenna, you can catch the debate with ease—why because these are essentially over-the-air broadcast channels.

Here are some renowned cable providers which include most or all of the networks scheduled to air the presidential debates 2020 in their channel lineup—so if you are already subscribed to any of these TV service providers you stand well covered!

Provider	Plans
Xfinity	Limited Basic |Extra |Preferred
Cox	TV Starter |Contour TV |Contour TV Ultimate
AT&T DIRECTV & AT&T TV	Entertainment |Choice |Extra |Ultimate |Premier
Spectrum	Select
RCN	Digital Basic |Signature TV |Premier TV
Mediacom TV	Local TV |Essential TV |Variety TV
WOW! TV	Small TV |Medium TV |Large TV

Each of these TV plans includes more than one of the channels that will be broadcasting the 2020 presidential debate. But, if you wish to watch insightful analyses and in-depth evaluation of these discussions to understand the finer points, which may help you make a better choice in the U.S. Election 2020, we’d recommend you aim for current affairs programming on other networks as well. Multiple news channels are available in the AT&T Channel Lineup and the Spectrum Channel Lineup with content that reflects on nuances unnoticed otherwise.

How to Stream Presidential Debates 2020

For those who prefer to stream on the go, there is a ton of services you can tune into. Here are some streaming platforms that have the channels you’re looking for. If you’re subscribed to one of these you shouldn’t have any problem catching the leftover Presidential Debates 2020. If not, you might want to download the Pluto TV app. It costs nothing and gives you access to news channels that show the debate.

Channels: You get access to CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News on Sling Blue. And, if you’re subscribed to the Sling Orange plan you have Bloomberg, Newsy, and Cheddar. 

Channels: You get Fox News, CNBC, Newsy, Cheddar News, MSNBC, and Univision.

Channels: You can view CBS, Cheddar Business, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox News, Fox Business, ABC News Live, and Telemundo

Channels: You’ll watch ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, Newsy, Fox News, Fox Business, and Cheddar, Telemundo 

With these options, you won’t have to scour the channel list, clicking away on the remote to find what you need. All you need is a reliable internet connection, and no matter where you are, you’ll be able to watch the debates with ease—via the TV Everywhere feature which all services are equipped with.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the next presidential debate 2020 take place?

The next presidential debate will take place on Thursday, October 22 at 9 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST). This is the second and the last debate that will occur before the US Election 2020.

What time is the debate tonight?

Each 2020 presidential debate will begin at 9 pm EST. This means 6 pm Pacific Standard Time (PST), 7 pm Mountain Standard Time (MST), and 8 pm Central Standard Time (CST). The next debate is on October 22.

Which channels will air the presidential debates 2020?

Most popular American news channels will broadcast the 2020 presidential debate. Here is a list for you:

How can I watch the presidential debates 2020 without cable?

For cord-cutters, you can easily stream the debates. YouTube, Hulu, Sling TV, fuboTV, and Pluto TV are great platforms for this purpose. If you’re not subscribed to these services or have connectivity issues, connecting an antenna to your TV should do the trick.

Why is there only one moderator per debate this year?

While previously there were two or three moderators for each presidential debate, this year there’s only one. The format was changed by the Commission on Presidential Debates this year. With only two speakers, the presence of one moderator is intended to result in a better controlled and more streamlined exchange of opinions.