About 19.05 million viewers watched the Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday, compared to 17.18 million last year, according to preliminary figures released Monday by Nielsen Media Research.

The 11-percent increase in viewership for the coverage of the Grammy Awards by Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) was due to a diverse lineup of performers and an aggressive marketing effort, which led to a 23 percent increase among viewers aging 18 to 34, CBS said.

"The Recording Academy put on quite a show -- an unprecedented 24 performances and a range of artists that appealed to tweens, teens, young adults and boomers," said Jack Sussman, CBS Entertainment's executive vice president for specials, music and live events. "It was a broadcast with something for every generation."

The achievement countered the trend of declining ratings for awards shows. Viewership for awards telecasts has generally fallen in recent years, because the increasing number of such shows makes each one less unique.

Additionally, like all forms of television programming, they are subject to increased competition from cable television, the Internet, video games and home video for viewers' attention.

Despite the increase, viewership for this year's ceremony was just one-third the record 51.67 million viewers who tuned in when Michael Jackson, at the height of his popularity, won a record eight Grammys in 1984. That telecast came when there were just three major broadcast networks and less competition for viewers from cable television.

Final national figures are scheduled to be released Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2009)