Thousands line up to say good-bye to Ted Kennedy.

Crowds gather in Boston to pay their respects to Senator Ted Kennedy, whose casket lies at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library before it is transferred to Arlington National Cemetery for burial on SaturdayAugust 29, 2009.

The widow of US Senator Ted Kennedy says the outpouring of support was deeply moving for the family. Vicki Kennedy greeted some of the well-wishers who filed past her husband's casket at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston. Thousands lined roadways as a memorial motorcade wound its way from the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port to Boston, where his body lay in repose.

Fox News maintained its top ranking among the cable news channels Wednesday as its competitors turned most of their coverage over to the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy. The event didn't prove to be a major draw for viewers, however. Fox, which covered the story in a more limited fashion, drew an average of 1.37 million viewers throughout the entire day and 2.67 million viewers during prime time, according to Nielsen Media Research.

CNN, which usually dominates during major breaking news events, averaged 711,000 viewers overall and 1.19 million viewers in prime time. MSNBC pulled in 506,000 viewers throughout the day and 984,000 in prime time.

In the key 25- to 54-year-old advertising demographic, Fox had double the audience of its competitors in prime time, averaging 736,000 viewers. CNN and MSNBC were effectively tied, with 321,000 and 318,000, respectively.

The good old days when news anchors like Walter Cronkite commanded national attention are over.
 
 
 

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