As for Spicer/Trump comments, the main stream bleedia are themselves EXAGGERATING. Spicer only got it wrong with his sources for the metro ridership. But if you want to talk about the size of the viewing audience in total, counting all angles (crowd size, T.V., online streaming), it's probable that Trump had the highest numbers.
The biggest variable is online streaming. The biggest question is, how many people availed themselves of online streaming eight years ago compared to this year? Given the pace of tech and tech acceptance, i'd say the difference could be considerable.
Personally, i preferred to watch online steaming. When i went to search for streaming sources, i was pleased to find many choices. I specifically avoided CNN and went straight to a FOX stream.
Now, CNN tells us they had some 13 million watching through streaming? Numbers from other sources have not been forthcoming, but the following report from Bill Still indicates that FOX far out-did CNN and MSNBC in online streaming.
If so, this could have been the "most watched" inaugural.
That said, most of the voices questioning the crowd size, including Pres. Trump, saw what they saw FROM THE FRONT, LOOKING BACK.
Trump ESTIMATED it was full all the way to the back, which if so, would put the number at 1 to 1.5 million people. That's what he repeated to the CIA, but did not hold to that number as a fact, just an estimate base on what he could see and estimate.
The main stream bleedia has themselves exaggerated Trump's estimate, calling it a "lie", instead of an estimate of what he could see.
Given a high pixel picture from Trump's view (which would also be Spicer and Conway view), can anyone blame him for estimating the mall was packed full?
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/01/politics/trump-inauguration-gigapixel/