ABC’S ‘WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR’ WINS SEASON WITH 24 WEEKS AS #1 PROGRAM ON ALL OF TV — SCORING BIGGEST WIN OVER NBC IN 30 YEARS

2024-2025 Season
“World News Tonight” stood as the most-watched evening newscast for the 9th consecutive season — since the 2016-17 season — spending 24 of 52 weeks as the No. 1 program of the week in Total Viewers on all of broadcast and cable (with and without sports), the most number of weeks at No. 1 for any program during the 2024-2025 season. “World News Tonight” ranked as America’s No. 1 evening newscast for the 2024-2025 season in all key target demos, Total Viewers (7.594 million), Adults 25-54 (1.054 million) and Adults 18-49 (727,000), for the 6th consecutive year, based on Most Current Data from Nielsen Media Research.

• “World News Tonight” won all 52 weeks of the 2024-2025 season in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54.
• During the 2024-2025 season, “World News Tonight” (7.594 million) led “NBC Nightly News” (6.020 million) by 1.574 million and “CBS Evening News” (4.171 million) by 3.423 million. “World News Tonight” grew its Total Viewer lead over NBC compared to last season (+23% – 1.574 million vs. 1.279 million) to its largest in 30 years — since the 1994-1995 season. In addition, “World News Tonight” increased its Total Viewer season margin versus “CBS Evening News” by 12% (3.423 million vs. 3.072 million) to its largest in 5 years — since the 2019-2020 season.
• In addition, “World News Tonight” (1.054 million and 727,000, respectively) led NBC (876,000 and 576,000, respectively) in both key Adult demos, increasing its margins compared to last season in Adults 25-54 (+52% – 178,000 vs. 117,000) and Adults 18-49 (+84% – 151,000 vs. 82,000).
• Further, “World News Tonight” widened its margins with “CBS Evening News” (588,000 and 406,000, respectively) by double digits in Adults 25-54 (+14% – 466,000 vs. 407,000) and Adults 18-49 (+15% – 321,000 vs. 280,000).

3rd Quarter 2025
ABC News’ “World News Tonight with David Muir” won the 3rd Quarter 2025 in all key target demos: Total Viewers (7.244 million), Adults 25-54 (970,000) and Adults 18-49 (660,000), based on Most Current Data from Nielsen Media Research. In fact, “World News Tonight” took the top spot in overall viewers and in the key Adults news demo during the 3rd quarter for the 6th consecutive year — since 3Q20. Overall, “World News Tonight” led in Total Viewers for the 34th quarter in a row and for the 23rd straight quarter in Adults 25-54 — since 2Q17 and 1Q20, respectively.

• “World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” (5.576 million, 787,000 and 507,000, respectively) by 1.668 million Total Viewers, by 183,000 Adults 25-54 and by 153,000 Adults 18-49. 
• “World News Tonight” increased its lead over NBC versus the previous quarter in Total Viewers (+5%- 1.668 million vs. 1.586 million) and Adults 25-54 (+2% – 183,000 vs. 180,000), posting its largest overall viewer lead during a quarter in 30 years — since 3Q95.
• “World News Tonight” widened its margins over NBC from the year-ago quarter by double digits in Total Viewers (+51%- 1.668 million vs. 1.107 million) and by triple digits in Adults 25-54 (+438% – 183,000 vs. 34,000) to deliver its largest overall viewer lead during a 3rd quarter 30 years — since 3Q95.
• For the 3rd quarter, “World News Tonight” (7.244 million, 970,000 and 660,000, respectively) outperformed “CBS Evening News” (3.797 million, 523,000 and 378,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+3.447 million), Adults 25-54 (+447,000) and Adults 18-49 (+282,000). In fact, “World News Tonight” turned in its largest Total Viewer lead over the CBS program during a 3rd quarter for at least 33 years — the Nielsen electronic database started in September 1991.

Week of Sept. 15, 2025
“World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 program in Total Viewers (6.990 million) on all of broadcast and cable (excluding sports) during the week of Sept. 15, 2025, based on Live+Same Day Data from Nielsen Media Research.

• “World News Tonight” ranked as the No. 1 newscast across broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (6.990 million), Adults 25-54 (842,000) and Adults 18-49 (586,000).
• “World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” (5.541 million, 794,000 and 490,000, respectively) by 1.449 million Total Viewers, by 48,000 Adults 25-54 and by 96,000 Adults 18-49.
• “World News Tonight” (6.990 million, 842,000 and 586,000, respectively) defeated “CBS Evening News” (3.762 million, 529,000 and 381,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+86%/+3.228 million), Adults 25-54 (+59%/+313,000) and Adults 18-49 (+54%/+205,000).

NOTE: On Monday (9/15/25), “World News Tonight” was retitled to “WNT-ABC” due to the NFL. The retitled telecast is excluded from the weekly and season averages. ABC’s weekly averages are based on four days (Tuesday-Friday).

ABC’s “World News Tonight with David Muir” airs 6:30-7:00 p.m. EDT on ABC. Chris Dinan is the executive producer of the broadcast.

EVENING NEWS (2024-2025 Season):

	TOTAL VIEWERS	ADULTS 25-54	ADULTS 18-49	HOUSEHOLDS
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT	7,594,000	0.9/11; 1,054,000	0.5/11; 727,000	4.5/17
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS	6,020,000	0.7/9; 876,000	0.4/ 8; 576,000	3.6/13
CBS EVENING NEWS	4,171,000	0.5/6; 588,000	0.3/6; 406,000	2.5/9

EVENING NEWS (3rd Quarter 2025):

	TOTAL VIEWERS	ADULTS 25-54	ADULTS 18-49	HOUSEHOLDS
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT	7,244,000	0.8/12; 970,000	0.5/11; 660,000	4.3/18
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS	5,576,000	0.6/10; 787,000	0.4/9; 507,000	3.2/13
CBS EVENING NEWS	3,797,000	0.4/7; 523,000	0.3/6; 378,000	2.2/9

EVENING NEWS (Week of Sept. 15, 2025)

	TOTAL VIEWERS	ADULTS 25-54	ADULTS 18-49	HOUSEHOLDS
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT	6,990,000	0.7/10; 842,000	0.4/10; 586,000	4.1/17
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS	5,541,000	0.6/10; 794,000	0.4/8; 490,000	3.3/13
CBS EVENING NEWS	3,762,000	0.4/6; 529,000	0.3/6; 381,000	2.2/ 9

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 Live + SD Current Week (w/o 9/15/25), Previous Week (w/o 9/8/25) and Year-Ago Week (w/o 9/2/24). Most Current Data Stream: 2024-2025 Season (9/23/24 – 9/21/25) and 2023-2024 Season (9/25/23 – 9/22/24). L+7/Most Current – 3Q25: 6/30 – 9/21/25, 2Q25: 3/31 – 6/29/24 and 3Q24: 7/1 – 9/22/24, Nielsen ratings for ABC, NBC and CBS include additional airings in select markets. Beginning 8/31/20, national ratings also include Out of Home (OOH) viewing. Averages based on regular telecasts.

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Van Scott
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