[Therian]

Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for president on Thursday as an estimated 38 million viewers watched on television, setting a new record for convention viewership, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Mr. Obama’s speech — a historic one given his status as the first African American nominee of a major political party — reached significantly more viewers than the comparable addresses in 2004. Coverage of John Kerry’s acceptance speech in 2004 had 24.4 million viewers; coverage of George W. Bush’s convention speech that same year drew 27.5 million.

The audience estimate of 38.3 million means that Mr. Obama’s speech reached more viewers than the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, the final “American Idol” or the Academy Awards this year, the Associated Press notes.


Furthermore, the four-night Democratic convention ranks as the most-watched convention of either party, Democratic or Republican, since Nielsen began measuring conventions in 1960.

The four nights of “common coverage” by networks — 10 to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday — were viewed by an average of 22.4 million households, Nielsen said Friday. Previously, the highest-rated Democratic convention occurred in 1980 with 20.5 million households watching, and the highest-rated Republican convention occurred in 1976 with 21.9 million households watching.

Comparisons to previous conventions must include a number of important caveats. For one thing, until the 1980s conventions were shown on just three networks, and they were covered in greater length than they are now. This year’s conventions are being shown on at least ten TV channels.

Additionally, consumers have the option to record the convention and play it back later using a digital video recorder, and those viewers won’t be counted for weeks. Perhaps most significantly, this convention is being streamed online on a number of different Web sites, and the Internet audience will be hard, if not impossible, to measure.



The CNN telecast of Barack Obama’s address is shown in Times Square on Thursday. (Dima Gavrysh/Associated Press)

By any measurement, this convention was a popular one among viewers. Early ratings from Nielsen — subject to revision later in the day — suggested that CNN had reached a milestone on Thursday, with more than 8 million viewers during the 10 p.m. hour, more than any of the broadcast networks. If confirmed by Nielsen this afternoon, the ratings would represent CNN’s first time topping the broadcast networks. (Fox News Channel defeated the broadcasters during the Republican convention in 2004.)

The 38 million figure from Nielsen includes the audience on ten networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX News Channel, MSNBC, BET, TV One, Univision and Telemundo. It does not include PBS or C-SPAN, which also carried the address live. PBS estimated that it averaged 3.5 million viewers between 8 and 11 p.m.

Now...do what you do best...

[GT40XStang9]

37,999,999.5

I fell asleep halfway through.

[Bluffing024]

Originally Posted by GT40XStang9

37,999,999.5

I fell asleep halfway through.

So did my wife, and I only stayed awake because I was on SN.

[Venom351R]

You think all 38 million were supporters? That's laughable. What's the excuse going to be then when he gets rolled on the morning of Nov 5th.

[poboys 94]

It was a historic event, I watched it. I will also watch the Republican convention, as I like to compare both sides instead of turning on FOX and parrot their talking points

[302RollinHard]

Originally Posted by Therian

Now...do what you do best...

I can roast hotdogs over an open flame with the best of them. Are you giving me permission to roast, Therian?? If so THANK YOU!

BTW, I love to watch Obama speak. I just don't always like what he says. Is that so wrong?

[Ike83]

Originally Posted by poboys 94

It was a historic event, I watched it. I will also watch the Republican convention, as I like to compare both sides instead of turning on FOX and parrot their talking points

Yeah...cause FOX news is the problem...not CNN, ABC, NBC, and CBS who throw journalism to the side in an effort to root for Obama.

Great observation.

[Therian]

Originally Posted by Redline_351R

You think all 38 million were supporters? That's laughable. What's the excuse going to be then when he gets rolled on the morning of Nov 5th.

Only you would infer that assumption from...a quote

Originally Posted by 302RollinHard

BTW, I love to watch Obama speak. I just don't always like what he says. Is that so wrong?

Nothing wrong with that...all policies aside, he is an excellent orator.

[Ike83]

Originally Posted by Therian

Only you would infer that assumption from...a quote



Nothing wrong with that...all policies aside, he is an excellent orator.

I find it HILARIOUS that after 38 million viewers tune in for Obama's "I Have a Dream" speech .....NOBODY'S talking about it the next day....


BECAUSE SARAH PALIN IS MCCAIN'S VICE PRESIDENT!!! WOO! HOO!

[rbohm]

Originally Posted by 302RollinHard

BTW, I love to watch Obama speak. I just don't always like what he says. Is that so wrong?

i also like listening to obama speak, at some point though i get tired of the same old liberal garbage that spews forth from his mouth.

Originally Posted by Therian

Nothing wrong with that...all policies aside, he is an excellent orator.

i agree that obama is an excellent speaker, as long as he doesnt have to speak off the cuff. then he has issues.

i do find it interesting however that obama has not gotten the convention bounce on the polls though, and he has not gotten the bounce that usually comes from announcing your running mate either. too eary yet for mccain.

[Therian]

Originally Posted by rbohm

i do find it interesting however that obama has not gotten the convention bounce on the polls though, and he has not gotten the bounce that usually comes from announcing your running mate either. too eary yet for mccain.

Gallup reported + 8 while Rasmussen reported + 4. I'd say that's a bounce, wouldn't you? If you look at the Gallup figure, that's the biggest lead Obama has had yet...

[rbohm]

Originally Posted by Therian

Gallup reported + 8 while Rasmussen reported + 4. I'd say that's a bounce, wouldn't you? If you look at the Gallup figure, that's the biggest lead Obama has had yet...

except that gallup has always reported obama as having a lead of 6-8 points, and rasmussen has reported similar numbers as well. no bounce there sorry.

[GT40XStang9]

Originally Posted by rbohm

except that gallup has always reported obama as having a lead of 6-8 points, and rasmussen has reported similar numbers as well. no bounce there sorry.

Rasmussen Reports: The most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a presidential election.

[Therian]

Originally Posted by rbohm

except that gallup has always reported obama as having a lead of 6-8 points, and rasmussen has reported similar numbers as well. no bounce there sorry.

Are you sure?

Originally Posted by GT40XStang9

Rasmussen Reports: The most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a presidential election.

and...

[90mustangGT]

Of course it got high ratings, everyone loves a train wreck. It doesn't mean anyone would actually like to be in that train wreck, which an Obama presidency would be.