WASHINGTON, USA (AFP) — Politics edged out sports among US television viewers in a key night for the Democratic National Convention and the National Football League, a survey showed yesterday.

The Nielsen data showed 25.1 million people tuned in to the second night of the convention Wednesday, the day former president Bill Clinton gave an impassioned speech formally nominating US President Barack Obama.

That was just barely ahead of the 23.9 million viewers who watched the NFL season kickoff between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys, Nielsen said.

Nielsen said that coverage varied by network, but that seven major networks  aired live coverage of the convention from approximately 10:00pm to 11:30pm.

The opening night of the convention drew a slightly bigger audience of 26.2 million, Nielsen said. That was the night First Lady Michelle Obama addressed the gathering in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Nielsen said 30.3 million viewers watched the final night of the Republican National Convention last week.

In 2008, the number of viewers for the Democratic convention ranged from 22.3 million to 38.4 million, Nielsen said, with the number for the Republican gathering between 21.5 million and 38.9 million.

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