You have to wonder if numbers like this will spur MTV to actually, oh, air some music videos. Sunday night’s 2011 Video Music Awards scored the network’s biggest audience ever with 12.4 million total viewers. Among MTV’s target audience of 12- to 34-year-olds, the VMAs delivered a 10.8 ratings and 8.5 million viewers in the demographic sweet spot. This is up 8 percent over last year’s show in overall ratings.
This makes the VMAs the #1 telecast of 2011 with viewers in the 12-34 age demo, and also makes the program the #1 non-sports cable telecast of the year in total viewers.
A special encore presentation of the telecast airs tonight, Monday, Aug.t 29, at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT, followed by the premieres of the new series “Ridiculousness,” “Death Valley” and “Cuff”d.” We suspect, as none of those three star Beyonce, Lady Gaga or her, ahem “ex” Joe Calderone, the numbers might not be as high.