As promised, I've got some numbers for you. The winners of yesterday's inauguration coverage, in terms of sheer viewer volume: NBC and CNN.
Here are the cable numbers, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.:
CNN: 6.9 million...
FNC: 4.4 million...
MSNBC: 2.6 million...
ABC also sent out a release saying it had the most "combined" viewership of the entire day - a total of 47 million - meaning that the network added up viewers of the day's various events as well as the primetime ones as well. The figure is impressive, indeed.
But...here's the midday figure, from 11 to 12:30. Looks like NBC beat 'em by a nose there, and same with 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.:
ABC: 11, 036,666...
NBC: 11,490,000...
CBS: 7,193,333...
And...10 to 5...
ABC: 8,363,714...
NBC: 8,650,000...
CBS: 5,530,695...
Observation? These figures almost seem to mirror - to the person - early evening news numbers. In other words, brand loyalty is unshakable.