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Conference championships drew most viewers since Super Bowl XLVI

(FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – The AFC and NFC Championship Games featuring the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, and San Francisco 49ers were the most-watched shows since Super Bowl XLVI.

The Patriots-Ravens AFC Championship Game on CBS drew 47.7 million viewers. The 49ers-Falcons NFC Championship Game on FOX drew 42 million viewers. Together the games averaged 44.9 million viewers, reports The Nielsen Company's Fast National Ratings.

The trend marks the fourth consecutive year that each conference championship game drew 41 million viewers.

Five 2012 playoff games averaged at least 35 million viewers- tying the record set last year.

Since the Summer Olympics, nine NFL games have accounted for the only programs on television to reach 30 million viewers – four Divisional playoff games, two Conference Championship Games, two Wild Card playoff games, and the final Sunday Night Football Game.