The ceremony was aired by NBC 12 hours after it happened in China, causing protests from viewers, but is thought to have increased viewer numbers. NBC's Olympics website didn't air video of the event before it was shown on television, but it did post still pictures. NBCOlympics.com registered 70 million page views on Friday - its heaviest ever traffic.
Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports and Olympics, said: "It was a magical and memorable spectacle and a great way to start the Beijing Olympics.”
The most recent summer Olympics, in Athens four years ago, averaged 25.4 million viewers for its first night, Nielsen said. Sydney in 2000 had 27.3 million viewers.
