SVT reports that a total of 3,370,000 people watched the first semi final of Melodifestivalen, held last Saturday. That is the highest rate of the first semi final, since semi finals were introduced back in 2002. The former record from a semi final was 3,295‚000 people from 2009.

SVT is very happy with the high viewing figures, and that proves that they did a great show. They also said that the webstream of the first semi final was started 440,200 times, which is a higher figure than the final of Melodifestivalen 2011.

Loreen and Dead By April qualified for the final from the first semi. The second semi final is going to be held on the 11th of February.

• By Ervin Juhász on Feb 6, 2012Source: escXtra.com, SVT