Media Credentials: Inside Sports Media

Monday Night Football Gets Highest Cable Rating Ever
(Ticker) - A combination of the television writers' strike and the New England Patriots proved to be a ratings bonanza for ESPN. The Patriots' 27-24 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night was the most-watched program in cable television history.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the game was seen by 17,522,000 viewers, surpassing "High School Musical 2" for the largest viewing audience ever. The movie, seen on the Disney Channel on August 17, attracted 17,241,000 viewers.

The Patriots, who are the only undefeated team in the NFL, have been shattering viewing records throughout the season. Two of New England's games account for the two highest-rated programs of any kind since the 2007-08 television season began on September 24.

On November 4, the Patriots' 24-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts - at the time, a battle of unbeatens - earned a 20.1 rating on CBS, which is the highest of any television program of any kind on any channel this season. New England's 48-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on October 14 was the second highest-rated program of 2007-08. It earned an 18.0 national rating on CBS.