22% of Large Market TV Viewers Watched Obama

Barack Obama's media buy to be on the air on three of four major networks paid off handsomely as about 22% of television watching households in the 56 largest TV markets tuned in--more than the last part of the World Series. This translates into 33.5 million people (or roughly 10% of the population of the United States). From the Boston Globe

This just in from a Nielsen Co. press release about Barack Obama's infomercial:

* Overall, for the six networks that aired the program simultaneously, the spot had a household rating of 21.7% (meaning that 21.7 percent of all households watching television were tuned to the spot) in the top 56 local markets. In Boston, the rating was 25.7 -- meaning that just over a quarter of local households tuned in.
* In comparison, the final debate between the two presidential candidates received a 38.3 household rating in the top 56 local TV markets. The candidates’ first debate on September 26 received a 34.7 household rating in the top 55 markets; their second debate, on October 7, received a 42.0 household rating in those markets.
* The last presidential candidate to air a paid simulcast was Ross Perot in 1996, which received a national household rating of 16.8.
* Last night, the Baltimore market had the largest TV audience, with a household rating of 31.3, while the Portland (Oregon, not Maine) market had the lowest household rating: 14.2.

For perspective, George Bush's State of the Union address in 2006 received a 26.9% rating (roughly 41.7 million people).