Record SuperSport viewership figures for Olympics

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Danette Breitenbach

The South African team's disappointing Beijing Olympic Games campaign was not reflected in viewership of the spectacle on SuperSport, with a significant increase in numbers compared to Athens in 2004, the channel reports.

There was a 97% increase in the number of daily viewers, with the top four disciplines watched being gymnastics, track and field, weightlifting and swimming.

While only 8% of the South African viewing public watched each day, 18% of DStv viewers watched every day (this included the SuperSport channels and the new, high definition channel).

An interesting statistic is that since 2004, the age profile of Olympics on DStv has become younger, with an increase in viewers in the 16-34 age category and a decrease in the 50-plus category.

Worldwide, Nielsen Media Research said the 2008 Games drew the largest global television audience in history. According to the company, between the opening ceremony and the extinguishing of the Olympic flame 17 days later, 4,7 billion viewers - or 70% of everyone on the planet - watched some portion of the Olympics.

That topped the previous record of 3,9 billion viewers for the 2004 Athens Games.

China's viewership was something network programmers can only dream about, with an incredible 94% of the population tuning in.