- Marc Berman, Mediaweek

NEW YORK ABC led the networks in total viewers on Election Night Tuesday, with 13.1 million viewers in prime time and a 4.4 rating among adults 18-49, according to Nielsen Media Research data.

Compared to 2004, ABC’s coverage increased by 9 percent in total viewers and 7 percent among adults 18-49. 

NBC was competitive at 12.02 million viewers and a 4.2 rating in the demo, but that was a loss of 18 percent in both total viewers and adults 18-49 versus four years earlier.

Third-place CBS was also on the downside, with a distant 7.83 million viewers (a loss of 14 percent) and a 2.9 in the demo (off 25 percent).

For a better look at the election coverage ratings, here is the half-hour breakdown by the four networks (in the order of ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox), based on the fast affiliate results:
 
2008 Election Night Coverage
 
ABC
 8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 12.67 million (#1 in time period), A18-49: 4.0/ 9 (#2)
 8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 13.06 million (#2), A18-49: 4.2/ 9 (#2)
 9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 14.67 million (#1), A18-49: 4.9/10 (#2)
 9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 14.34 million (#1), A18-49: 4.9/10 (#1)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 13.92 million (#1), A18-49: 5.1/11 (#1)
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 13.10 million (#1), A18-49: 4.9/11 (#1)
 
CBS
 8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 8.27 million (#3), A18-49: 2.5/ 6 (#3)
 8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 8.09 million (#3), A18-49: 2.5/ 5 (#3)
 9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 8.49 million (#3), A18-49: 2.7/ 6 (#3)
 9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 8.15 million (#3), A18-49: 2.6/ 5 (#3)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 7.69 million (#3), A18-49: 2.5/ 5 (#3)
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 7.30 million (#3), A18-49: 2.4/ 5 (#3)
 
NBC
 8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 12.58 million (#2), A18-49: 4.2/ 9 (#1)
 8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 13.51 million (#1), A18-49: 4.6/10 (#1)
 9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 14.53 million (#2), A18-49: 5.2/11 (#1)
 9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 13.09 million (#2), A18-49: 4.8/10 (#2)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 12.75 million (#2), A18-49: 4.8/10 (#2)
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 12.13 million (#2), A18-49: 4.6/10 (#2)
 
Fox
 8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 5.37 million (#4), A18-49: 2.2/ 5 (#4)
 8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 5.12 million (#4), A18-49: 2.2/ 5 (#4)
 9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 5.41 million (#4), A18-49: 2.3/ 5 (#4)
 9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 5.14 million (#4), A18-49: 2.2/ 5 (#4)  

Source: Nielsen Media Research data. Adweek is a unit of the Nielsen Co.