MUMBAI: The Obama smile spread to CNN which emerged as the most-watched network on the election day. CNN garnered 13.3 million viewers to take the top spot that day, according to Nielsen Online Custom Analysis data, P2+ Home/Work Panel.

ABC had a total viewership of 12.5 million, followed by NBC (11.9 million), Telemundo (8.5 million), FNC (8.1 million), CBS (7.5 million), MSBNC (6.4 million) and Fox (4.7 million).

CNN topped the cable news competition with an average of 12.3 million total viewers tuning in during primetime, a 36 per cent advantage over FNC's 9 million and an impressive 109 per cent lead over MSNBC's 5.9 million.

Among adults 25-54, CNN was also number 1 with 5.8 million, a 48 per cent advantage over FNC's 3.9 million and 119 per cent lead over MSNBC's 2.7 million demo viewers. Among younger viewers 18-34, CNN was also first with 3.4 million. FNC stood second with 1.8 million while MSNBC was third with 1.4 million.

CNN had the largest gains in prime time compared to 2004 in 25-54, up 102 per cent, while FNC only increased 4 per cent and MSNBC was up 87 per cent. (This was also reflected in total day where CNN grew the most among 25-54, up 97 per cent and MSNBC was up 94 per cent, while FNC declined 16 per cent).

CNN.com delivered the largest daily audience in its history with 30 million unique visitors on Election Day, more than doubling the previous record of 13.4 million generated on Super Tuesday of this year.

CNN.com Live, the Internet's only multi-stream, live video news service, pocketed 5.3 million live streams on election day. The number of live video streams served by CNN.com on election day is nearly triple that of its previous daily streaming record, which was set on 1 September, 2008 - the first day of the RNC and the day Hurricane Gustav made landfall. CNN.com also served an additional 6.8 million on-demand video streams on 4 November.