Nielsen: At least 22.8 million watched Chauvin verdict

At least 22.8 million Americans watched on television this week as former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.

The Nielsen company’s estimate came from viewership figures on 10 different networks that carried Tuesday’s verdict live. The actual audience was likely higher, however, since Nielsen’s count did not include Court TV or ESPN, which also carried the verdict.

Word spread that the verdict was coming some 90 minutes before it was delivered, giving time for an audience to gather.

CNN, with an estimated 4.03 million viewers, had the biggest audience, according to Nielsen. ABC, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, NBC and CBS all had at least 3 million people watching.

Floyd, a Black man, died after Chauvin, who is white, kneeled on his neck for more than nine minutes last May, sparking protests around the world.