with 16 candidates FOX couldn't cram them all into a single debate anyway and give each candidate time to answer the questions, it's more than fair to handle it as they are,
even rachel maddow agrees
Margin of error makes Fox News cuttoff in make-or-break debate arbitrary | MSNBC
this isn't about ratings, this is simply part and parcel to the process. you can't run the first debate any later without it running into the 2nd debate's time spot.