Beijing Olympics: TV ratings update

UPDATE:


Monday night update:

Final ratings show NBC averaging 29.7 million total viewers in primetime (down marginally from the overnight levels reported earlier), from 8 to 11:36 p.m. This is an increase of 9 percent from the 27.1 million that tuned into coverage on the same night in Athens. Monday night's broadcast from Beijing featured coverage of Michael Phelps tying the Olympic career gold medal record. The Athens coverage featured coverage of Paul Hamm and the U.S. men’s gymnastics team earning a silver medal.

This viewership level was the highest Monday night rating for any network since Fox in February 2003 and the highest rated Monday for NBC since February 2002. NBC averaged a 17.4 household rating and 28 share Monday night. That is 5 percent better than a 16.6/27 for Athens. NBC also averaged a 10.4 rating in the key demographic (adults 18-49) that advertisers covet. That represents the best Monday night performance in that measure since Fox in January 2004.

Overall:

After four nights of Olympic coverage, NBC is averaging 30.4 million total viewers, 23 percent better than the 24.7 million average for Athens. Among households, NBC is averaging a 17.1 rating, up 16 percent from Athen’s 14.7. NBC’s ratings earned to date represent the best start to a Summer Olympics staged outside the USA in 16 years, since the 1992 Barcelona Games averaged a 17.4 rating for the first four days.

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Original post:

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Viewership levels for NBC's Olympic coverage continues to dominant regular programming on other networks, as follows:

Monday night

NBC’s Olympic telecast averaged 29.951 million 8 from 11 in the overnights. Comparatively CBS, the next highest rated network, averaged 6.126 million.The telecast peaked out at 34.581 million viewers in the 10:00 PM half hour.

Sunday night:

NBC's Olympic telecast, which included coverage of the men's 4 X 100 meter freestyle swimming relay, attracted 32.6 million viewers, rating it the 2nd highest programme of the week behind Friday’s opening ceremonies telecast (which averaged 34.89 viewers). This topped by 16 per cent the overnight prime time rating for the first Sunday night of competition in Athens four years ago. The difference between the two telecasts was that the Athens programming was taped, while Beijing was live. The highlight of the telecast (when viewership peaked) featured the come-from-behind win by the American relay team when Michael Phelps earned his second gold medal of the Olympiad, staying on track in his quest for eight gold medals.

Saturday night:


NBC’s Olympic coverage averaged 24.079 million viewers (on generally the least viewed TV night of the week), rating it the third highest program of the week. Comparatively, CBS, the next highest rated network, averaged 4.036 million viewers. Viewership peaked in the 10 PM half hour, attracting 28.362 million viewers