Michael Jackson Attracts 14 Million To ITV1
ITV1 has proved it can still deliver mass-market audiences to advertisers after last night’s Living With Michael Jackson – A Tonight Special, drew an average of 14.1 million viewers to the channel.
According to unofficial overnight figures from BARB, the special one-off documentary, which was broadcast between 9pm and 10.50pm, provided ITV1 with a 51.3% audience share.
The world exclusive showing of the programme was highly anticipated after reporter, Martin Bashir, was granted unprecedented access to Michael Jackson over the course of eight months during 2002.
The documentary ensured that ITV1 dominated the 9pm slot, with BBC1’s Merseybeat attracting an average audience of just 5 million viewers and BBC2’s Never Mind The Buzzcocks drawing 1.7 million. Leonardo’s Dream Machines attracted an average audience of 2.3 million to Channel 4, while Channel Five’s action movie, Con Air, drew 2.2 million viewers.
The success of Living With Michael Jackson topped-off a bumper ratings evening for ITV1, after another two-part instalment of Coronation Street (see Coronation Street Bloodbath Delivers Viewers) attracted substantial audiences. The first instalment of the soap, which was shown at 7.30pm, gained an average audience of 15.5 million, which equates to a 60.8% share of viewing. The second instalment, at 8.30pm, drew an average audience of 14.8 million, providing ITV1 with a 53.2% audience share.
ITV1 is hoping to get the most out of its exclusive access to Michael Jackson and will be broadcasting highlights of the documentary on Wednesday 12 February. It is also understood that a lucrative deal has been struck with a US broadcaster for rights to the show.
The viewing figures for the documentary will provide the channel with a much-needed lift, after figures from BARB revealed that ITV1’s share of viewing in 2002 was down by 2.6% points on the year before (see Insight Analysis: ITV1 Share Further Eroded In 2002).
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