NBC Networks Report More Than 107 Million Viewers On Sunday

A total of 107 million people, half of Americans watched the Beijing
Olympics Sunday on the Networks of NBC Universal – making it the MOST
WATCHED first Sunday in Summer Olympics history, according to data
provided by Nielsen Media Research. Eighty-one million watched NBC in
primetime as swimming superstar Michael Phelps, with his USA teammates,
won his second gold medal of the Beijing Games and his eighth career
Olympic gold medal in the 4×100 Freestyle Relay last night.
Additionally, more than one million streams of the race have been
accessed on demand today at NBCOlympics.com.

Sunday’s Beijing Olympic coverage on the Networks of NBC
Universal reached 107 million total viewers making it the most watched
first Sunday in Summer Olympics history, 16 million ahead of the
comparable Sunday from Athens in 2004 (91 million).

Through three days NBCU has attracted 143 million total
viewers, 17 million more than the first three days for Athens (126
million),

NBC’s Beijing Olympic three-day average viewership is 30.4
million, 6 million more than Athens in 2004 (24.0 million). The
national rating average of 17.0/30 is the best primetime rating through
the first Sunday for a non-U.S. Summer Olympics since Montreal in 1976
(18.1/43) and is a 21 percent jump from Athens in 2004 (14.1/26).

Sunday night’s 31.7 million average viewers bested Athens by 6
million viewers (25.8) and earned a 17.9 rating/31 share, a 16 percent
jump from Athens in 2004 (15.4/26).

NBC’s primetime coverage, which included Michael Phelps
collecting his second Beijing gold medal and eighth career Olympic gold
medal in the 4x100m relay, and Bob Costas’ interview with President
Bush, peaked with a 21.0/32 and 38.4 million average viewers in the
9:30 p.m. half hour.

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