Super Bowl Viewership Down for First Time Since 2005

UPDATED: Delayed by power outage, ‘Elementary' averages well below 2012's ‘Voice' in post-game slot

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/4/2013 9:37:14 AM

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CBS' broadcast of Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday averaged 108.4 million total viewers, down 3% from last year's record 111.3 million, according to Nielsen.

It was the first time since 2005 that the Super Bowl didn't top the previous year's overall viewership, though it was still the third-most watched TV program in U.S. history. The game peaked with an average of 113.92 million viewers from 10:30-10:47 p.m.

That excludes from 8:41-9:11 p.m. ET, when the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens was suspended due to a power outage in the New Orleans Superdome.

The game averaged a 46.3 household rating/69 share in the fast nationals, down 1% from last year's 47.0 rating for last year's New York Giants-New England Patriots match-up.

After the game, Elementary averaged a 12.0 household rating/24 share in the metered markets from 11:15 p.m.-12:15 a.m., down 38% from what The Voice averaged after the Super Bowl last year. It drew a 7.8 (down 52%) rating in the adults 18-49 demo, and drew 20.8 (down 45%) million viewers overall. Because of the 34-minute power outage during the game, the 11:15 p.m. start was the latest for any post-Super Bowl program.

All of the other networks aired repeats.