Michael Jackson Memorial watched by nearly 31 million in US

Tuesday's memorial service for Michael Jackson was watched by 31.9 million viewers in the United States.

A total of 19 networks carried the proceedings live from about 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., including the major English- and Spanish-language broadcasters and cable news outlets, as well as MTV, VH1 and others.

While Jackson's celebrity spurred worldwide interest in his death, the ratings for his memorial did not quite match those for the 1997 funeral of Princess Diana, which, despite airing during the early morning hours in the U.S., drew an average of 33.2 million viewers. President Reagan's burial in 2004, which happened during prime-time in much of the country, was watched by 35.1 million.

These Jackson figures, however, do not include viewers who watched live by streaming online, which likely accounted for at least several million more users.