MTV gets big audience for VMAs, sets record

[August 30, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- MTV had a big audience on hand to watch Beyonce (bee-AHN'-say) rub her baby bump.

The Nielsen Co. says an estimated 12.4 million people watched Sunday's telecast of the Video Music Awards. That's the network's biggest audience in 18 years -- and maybe ever. MTV doesn't have reliable viewership estimates before 1993.

The 2002 VMAs had the previous record, with just under 12 million people watching.

Eight and a half million of Sunday's viewers were between 12 and 34 years old, MTV's demographic sweet spot. That's a record for that demo, too.

Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Adele performed Sunday. But the highlight was Beyonce revealing she and husband Jay-Z are expecting.

[Associated Press]

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