Clinton’s Address Most-Watched Presidential Speech Since 1993

Fri., Jan. 30, 1998

From Wire Reports

With many viewers hoping President Clinton would address his current sex scandal, 53.1 million Americans tuned into his State of the Union address Tuesday, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co.

That figure is up 29 percent over last year’s address, when Clinton had to compete with coverage of the O.J. Simpson civil trial verdict.

The president attracted a combined 37.2 national rating and 56 percent audience share on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and cable’s CNN, CNBC, MSNBC and Fox News Channel from 9 to 10:15 p.m. Each rating point equals 980,000 homes.

It was the most-watched State of the Union since 1993, when 66.9 million people tuned in as President Clinton delivered his first address over ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN.

Spice Girls TV concert scores

More consumers have paid for this month’s Spice Girls pay-per-view concert special than for any other PPV music program in more than seven years, according to Showtime Event Television.

More than 130,000 homes have already purchased the program, which premiered Jan. 17 and has shown three times with a fourth and final airing set for Saturday.

The Spice Girls special is priced at $19.95. According to SET, Spice Girls’ buy rate surpasses that for last month’s Rolling Stones PPV concert, a 1994 Rolling Stones concert, Woodstock ‘94 as well as other music specials dating back to the second New Kids on the Block concert special in December 1990, which drew 154,000 buys.

According to the Paul Kagan Association, however, Woodstock ‘94 ranks higher with 202,000 buys, as does a December 1991 Judds concert with 232,000 and a June 1992 Guns N’ Roses concert with 140,000.

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