Sky News tops 1 million for Jackson verdict

Sky News pulled in more than 1 million viewers for its live coverage of the Michael Jackson verdict last night, according to early ratings figures.

The channel was the clear destination of choice for viewers hungry for up-to-the-minute information on the trial outcome, beginning at 9pm with 178,000 viewers (1.1%) before rising significantly to 742,000 (4.6%) half an hour later.

When the "not guilty" verdict was finally delivered at 10pm, an estimated 1.03 million (6.6%) were watching the station, almost double than rival News 24's 569,000 (3.7%). The figure ranks as Sky News' fourth-highest audience ever; topped only by Louise Woodward's trial verdict in 1997, the start of the Iraq conflict in 2003 and OJ Simpson's trial verdict in 1995.

BBC One was the only terrestrial broadcaster to cover the event live, with its rapidly-rearranged 10pm bulletin drawing an impressive 7.61 million (34.4%).

Earlier in the evening, the controversial hour-long Coronation Street averaged 9.37 million (40.4%) at 8.30pm, narrowly topping BBC One's EastEnders, which had 9.03 million (43.6%). Emmerdale took third with 8.38 million (46.8%).

The soap scheduling manoeuvre failed to significantly lift ratings for Celebrity Love Island, which lingered at 4.18 million (18.4%) between 9.30pm and 10.30pm.

Other multichannel highlights included ITV2's Contender finale, with a healthy 591,000 (4.3%) at 9.30pm, and E4's first-run Smallville, which had 341,000 (2.1%) in the 9pm hour.

Ratings data supplied by ViewingFigures.com