Inauguration Madness

If you ever wonder if the internet is reaching older demographics, I only have to look at my aged secretary, who can barely manage to print a Word document without incident, but was able get streaming video of the Obama inauguration (and was shouting out updates on what people were wearing).

As Obama pledges to make the White House go tech and is fighting for his Blackberry, the University Hospital where I work is providing links to all employees to watch from their desks and projecting streaming video in cafeterias for those who don't have a computer-based job. Forget the racial part of making history -- the new regime is also making pr, marketing, and tech history.

From Adage today (http://adage.com/bigtent/post?article_id=133905):

Unlike most news that breaks with no advance notice, Inauguration Day has had more lead-ins, promos, custom graphics, web alerts, analysis and star power than any other event in U.S. History. And if actual viewership of the event even touches the amount of anticipation, then the number will far exceed last years 2008 Super Bowl record of 94.5 million people. With an estimated 1-2 million people in attendance, hundreds of thousands of party celebrations at venues, churches, and schools across America, everyone is getting involved in Obama-mania (even criminals!).

Because the inauguration will be broadcast simultaneously on all of the broadcast networks, as well as on the cable news networks, in addition to online streaming, I am not sure if Nielsen will ever be able to estimate the total viewership tally, so maybe it will ever really be known. But I can tell you this: It will dwarf this year's Super Bowl on Feb. 1. Take in the international audience and I wouldn't even know where to begin to tally up the viewership for today's events.