Jackson Memorial Service Draws 31 Million Viewers in U.S.
Staples Center tribute posts 20.5/56 rating in daytime
By Marisa Guthrie -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/8/2009 4:12:30 PM
More than 31 million U.S. television viewers watched Michael Jackson's memorial service on 18 television networks, according to data provided by Nielsen Media Research.
That puts Jackson's memorial service behind Princess Diana's 1997 funeral which drew 33.2 million U.S. viewers and Ronald Reagan's burial in 2004, which drew 35 million viewers.
Jackson's memorial posted a 20.6 rating/56 share, an astronomical number for daytime television.
It was carried live from approximately 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on 18 networks: ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, Telefutura, Telemundo, Univision, CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, Headline News, BET, E!, MTV, VH1, VH1 Classic, TV Guide Network, and TV ONE.
The Nielsen tally does not include community viewings at nearly 100 theaters nationwide or the millions of viewers who watched on the web.
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