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71.5 Million Watch Barack Obama Win
Thursday November 6, 2008

Barack Obama
Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally at Coronado High School November 1, 2008 in Henderson, Nevada.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images

A record-breaking number of viewers tuned in to watch Barack Obama's historic presidential win Tuesday.

Over 71.5 million people - or over 40 percent of American households - watched coverage on 14 networks Tuesday, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The election was the most-seen TV event since the Super Bowl, with 97.5 million viewers.

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By contrast, 2000's Al Gore versus George Bush election earned 61.6 million viewers, and 2004's John Kerry and Bush match up received 59.2 million watchers.

More people watched election night coverage than any of the presidential debates or convention speeches. (Although Sarah Palin and Joe Biden's debate, with 69.9 million viewers, came close.)

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ABC won Tuesday with 13.1 million viewers, while CNN earned 12.3 - making it the most watched night of the network's 28-year-history. Twelve million people tuned into NBC, followed by 9 million at Fox News.

Comedy Central's "Indecision '08: America's Choice" had 3.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched election special in the network's history.

Online traffic was also up. Akamai Technologies, which manages online traffic for many leading news sites, reports 8.5 million global visitors per minute after Obama's victory was announced.

CNN.com had 27 million unique visitors, followed closely by MSNBC.com, Fox News, Drudge Report and The New York Times.

Ratings across the board were up for the election. Palin's appearance on Saturday Night Live, for example, earned the show its second highest ratings this season.

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