Home » Media + Entertainment, Nielsen News

31+ Million Watch Michael Jackson Memorial Service on TV in U.S.

July 8, 2009

Updated: A memorial service held in honor of Michael Jackson drew more than 31 million television viewers in the U.S. The event was carried live from approximately 1pm ET to 4pm ET 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. Read about the event’s effect on networks and social networks.

Undoubtedly one of the most well-known figures in the world, Michael Jackson’s death has drawn significant attention. Here is a summary of other notable personalities whose death generated mass television interest.

For more insights, download Nielsen reports and webinars, or contact us.
Tags: ,

Related Posts

  • http://dave-lucas.blogspot.com Dave Lucas

    From the stats above, it appears Princess Diana attracted a larger audience across a smaller number of networks. Most interesting is the fact that with the music industry in shambles, people who, one month ago, would have snubbed the idea of purchasing ANY Michael Jackson mp3s or CDs are downloading mp3s in droves and buying CDs as if they were suddenly going to disappear. Where were all Michael’s “fans” when he was alive?

  • rigs

    and if you include the number of people who watched online (which didn’t exist for most of these others) it’d be the highest ever, more than Reagan.

  • V.C.

    Not bad considering it was the middle of a work day. If it had been on the weekend like Reagan’s burial or Di’s funeral it most likely would have had an even higher viewership.

  • Tom

    31 million watching…31+ million uninsured and unemployed…Sounds about right…..

  • Michelle

    Will internet viewers get added into the numbers? Most of the people I know watched it online. In 1997 you could not view live events online like you can now. Beautiful service, RIP – Michael J. Jackson.

  • Frank

    VH1 Soul and Bet J also aired it.

  • http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/07/08/31-million-u-s-viewers-watched-jackson-memorial-short-of-reagan-burial-diana-funeral/22504 31 Million U.S. Viewers Watched Jackson Memorial, Short of Reagan Burial, Diana Funeral – TV Ratings, Nielsen Ratings, Television Show Ratings | TVbytheNumbers.com

    [...] via -nielsen wire. [...]

  • http://yourentertainmentnow.com/2009/07/08/31-14-million-watch-michael-jackson-memorial/ 31.14 Million Watch Michael Jackson Memorial | Your Entertainment Now

    [...] Nielsen Wire var addthis_pub = ‘yourentertainmentnow’; var addthis_language = ‘en’;var addthis_options = [...]

  • SHERIN

    Does the figure includes worldwide viewership? I watch the live telecast in Malaysia and finishing at 4am. It would be great to know what the number is like.

  • sharon

    Michael Jackson’s audience was 31 million viewers in the US alone and not worldwide. So, I am sure he got the biggest audience.

  • mich cleaver

    Hey what about Elvis Presley?

blog comments powered by Disqus