M*A*S*H Finally Gets Taken Out By A Super Bowl

The ratings results are in for Super Bowl XLIV and not only did it garner HUGE viewership, but it actually dethroned the final episode of M*A*S*H as the most watched program in television history. Via Sports Media Watch....

The Saints' 31-17 win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV drew a 45.0/68 fast-national rating and 106.5 million viewers on CBS Sunday night, up 7% in ratings and 8% in viewership from Steelers/Cardinals on NBC last year (42.0/64, 98.7 mil), and up 4% and 9%, respectively, from Giants/Patriots on FOX in '08 (43.1/65, 97.4 mil).

Saints/Colts ranks as the most-viewed program in U.S. television history, topping the previous record of 106.0 million for the series finale of M*A*S*H in 1983.

Additionally, the 45.0 rating is the highest for any television program since Cowboys/Steelers drew a 46.0 in 1996.

To put the numbers in perspective, the Super Bowl drew over 70 million more viewers than the top non-NFL sporting event of the past 12 months -- the Texas/Alabama BCS National Championship Game (30.8 mil).