Super Bowl XLIII TV Audience

151.6 million total viewers and 98.7 million average viewers watched Super Bowl XLIII.

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NBC's telecast of Super Bowl XLIII goes into the record books as one of the most-viewed U.S. television broadcast in history, with 151.6 million persons watching all or some of the telecast (at least six minutes), according to official national ratings data released today by Nielsen Media Research.

"It's always incredibly satisfying to amass large audiences, but this television record simply reaffirms the power of the Super Bowl and the National Football League," said Dick Ebersol, Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics.

"Everyone associated with the NFL should feel a great sense of pride in this accomplishment and in providing a day of enjoyment to American families -- especially those who are struggling in these difficult times."

Super Bowl XLIII

Most Watched Super Bowls (Total Viewers)

The total audience of 151.6 million viewers tops last year's Super Bowl XLII, Giants vs Patriots record audience of 148.3 million viewers by 3.3 million viewers. Total audience measures viewership for all or part of a broadcast.

Most-Watched Super Bowls (Average Viewers)

The average viewership of 98.7 million is tops in Super Bowl history, beating last year�s game by 1.2 million viewers (97.5 million). NBC now owns two of the top three and three of the top five most watched Super Bowls of all-time, with Super Bowl XXX third on the list with 94.1 million viewers and Super Bowl XXVII fifth with 91.0 million viewers.

In average viewership, Super Bowl XLIII is the second most-watched television broadcast in history, with its audience of 98.7 million viewers overall for the game's full duration. That average 98.7 million for Super Bowl XLIII tops last year's Super Bowl XLII, previously the most-watched Super Bowl (97.5 million). The 1983 series finale of "M*A*S*H" averaged 106 million viewers and is the most-watched television broadcast in history based on average viewership, however the 151.6 million persons who watched all or some of Sunday's game top the estimated 122 million who watched all or some of that "M*A*S*H" finale.

The M*A*S*H finale in 1983 averaged 106 million viewers and total audience figures for the program are estimated to be 122 million viewers.

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Super Bowl XLIII - One of the Largest American TV Audience in History