Not surprisingly, Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVI broke the record made last year by Super Bowl XLV, drawing 111.3 viewers, marking the third consecutive year the Super Bowl has set a new record as the most-watched television program. Here’s the current top five, courtesy of the futon critic and an NBC press release:
MOST-WATCHED PROGRAMS IN U.S. TELEVISION HISTORY
1. 111.3 Million – Super Bowl XLVI, NBC
2. 111.0 Million – Super Bowl XLV, Fox
3. 106.5 Million – Super Bowl XLIV, CBS
4. 106.0 Million – M.A.S.H. Finale, CBS
5. 98.7 Million – Super Bowl XLIII, NBC
I’ve updated my Goodbye, Farewell and Amen Ratings Analysis. Note that while “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” is now the fourth most-watched program in U.S. television history it is still the highest rated single program.
*Cries*
I just don’t consider the SuperBowl a “program”. (I guess I’m in denial)
I agree with ya, pinkpagoda! Although I like to watch them both, sports and weekly television shows are two different things….
It still tops the list of highest % though. And look how many fewer people there were then vs. now….
I don’t care what anyone says, it will be #1 among scripted shows forever, and therefore, #1 in my book!
Those articles about the Superbowl becoming the ratings champ are wrong. Someone didn’t do their homework. The MASH Finale is still number one, with 125 million viewers. I saved the newspaper articles from 1983. This is just another example of the media getting it wrong.
Keith, as I explain in my ratings analysis article: