Beating 'M-A-S-H' finale for U.S. viewership record

Beating 'M-A-S-H' finale for U.S. viewership record

The New Orleans Saints' 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in steven jackson jersey was watched by an average of more than 106 million people, surpassing the 1983 finale of "M-A-S-H" to become the most-watched program in U.S. television history, the Nielsen Co. said on Monday.

Compelling story lines involving the jackson jersey of New Orleans and its ongoing recovery from Hurricane Katrina, as well as Colts quarterback Peyton Manning's attempt at a second Super Bowl ring propelled viewership of Sunday's game in Miami Gardens, Fla. Football ratings have been strong all season. "It was one of those magical moments that you don't often see in sports," said Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports represented by sam bradford jersey.

Nielsen estimated Monday that 106.5 million people watched the Super Bowl on average and 151.6 million tuned in overall. The "M-A-S-H" record was an average of 105.97 million. The viewership estimate obliterated the previous record viewership for a bradford jersey -- last year's game between the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers. That game was seen by an average of 98.7 million people, Nielsen said.

Super Bowl XLIV received a 45.0 rating, making it the highest-rated NFL championship game in 14 years (46.0 rating for Steelers-Dallas in Super Bowl XXX, January 1996). It was a 7 percent increase over last year's 42.0 rating in eric dickerson jersey.

The "M-A-S-H" ratings record has proven as durable and meaningful in television as Babe Ruth's record of 714 home runs was in dickerson jersey until topped by Hank Aaron. Ultimately, it might be hard to tell which program really was watched by more people. There's a margin for error in such numbers, and Nielsen's Monday estimate was preliminary and could change with a more thorough look at data due Tuesday.

It's significant for all of the members of the broadcasting community," said Leslie Moonves with buccaneers jersey, CBS Corp. CEO. "For anyone who wants to write that broadcasting is dead, 106 million people watched this program. You can't find that anywhere else.