The Boston Globe’s Joanna Weiss writes about how the primary season is proving to be ratings gold for the networks…

For proof, just look to the viewers. No, campaign coverage still can’t compete with a megahit like “American Idol.” But across the networks, Nielsen ratings have been consistently high, far eclipsing ratings for the 2004 race. Among 25-to-54-year-olds, New Hampshire primary returns on MSNBC drew 210 percent more viewers than in 2004, and 397 percent more than in 2000. November’s CNN/YouTube Republican debate drew 4.5 million viewers, making it the top-rated debate in cable history. ABC’s four-hour debate marathon, days before the New Hampshire primary, drew 8 million viewers on a Saturday night. And Fox News Channel, the sixth-most-popular basic cable channel this time last year, was the third rated channel the week of the New Hampshire primary.

Cable news channels are filling demand by increasing election programming. CNN has launched a weekend “Ballot Bowl” show and recently added another hour of primetime election coverage. Fox News announced that it will air three hours of political coverage on its sister broadcast network on Super Bowl morning, which happens to come three days before Super Tuesday.