FOR 21ST CONSECUTIVE WEEK, THE #1 PROGRAM ON ALL TV IS ‘ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR’ — LEADING NBC BY 1.5 MILLION AND CBS BY 4.5 MILLION AND OUTDELIVERING NBC BY LARGEST SEASON MARGIN IN 31 YEARS AND CBS IN 34 YEARS

For the 21st week in a row, “World News Tonight with David Muir” ranked as the No. 1 program in Total Viewers (8.508 million) on all of broadcast and cable (excluding sports) during the week of Aug 31, 2026, based on Live+Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings from Nielsen Media Research.

• “World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 newscast in all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (8.508 million) and Adults 18-49 (833,000).
• “World News Tonight” beat “NBC Nightly News” (6.988 million and 800,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+22%/+1.520 million) and Adults 18-49 (+4%/+33,000).
• “World News Tonight” improved by double digits on the same week last year in Total Viewers (+16%/+1.190 million – 8.508 million vs. 7.318 million), Adults 25-54 (+31%/+258,000 – 1.102 million vs. 844,000) and Adults 18-49 (+40%/+238,000 – 833,000 vs. 595,000), posting year-to-year gains for the ninth consecutive week.
• “World News Tonight” (8.508 million, 1.102 million and 833,000, respectively) more than doubled its lead over “CBS Evening News” (4.037 million, 544,000 and 393,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+111%/+4.471 million), Adults 25-54 (+103%/+558,000) and Adults 18-49 (+112%/+440,000).
• Season to date, “World News Tonight” is delivering across the board increases compared to the same point last season: Total Viewers (+6%/+465,000 – 8.351 million vs. 7.866 million), Adults 25-54 (+1%/+12,000 – 1.047 million vs. 1.035 million) and Adults 18-49 (+5%/+38,000 – 770,000 vs. 732,000), based on Most Current Big Data+Panel Ratings. In fact, “World News Tonight” is drawing its largest season viewership in 5 years — since the 2020-2021 season.
• “World News Tonight” (8.351 million) is ranking No. 1 in Total Viewers for the 10th straight year, leading “NBC Nightly News” (6.540 million) by 1.811 million and “CBS Evening News” (4.044 million) by 4.307 million. In fact, “World News Tonight” is growing its Total Viewer lead over NBC compared to the same point last season (+9% — 1.811 million vs. 1.667 million) to its largest in 31 years — since the 1994-1995 season. “World News Tonight” is also delivering its largest Total Viewer season lead over the CBS program in at least 34 years — since at least the 1991-1992 season; the Nielsen electronic database started in September 1991.
• “World News Tonight” is ranking No. 1 in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 for the 7th season in a row. “World News Tonight” (1.047 million and 770,000, respectively) is leading NBC (946,000 and 666,000, respectively) by 101,000 Adults 25-54 and by 104,000 Adults 18-49. Additionally, “World News Tonight” is widening margins by double digits with “CBS Evening News” (523,000 and 381,000, respectively) in Adults 25-54 (+10% – 524,000 vs. 477,000) and Adults 18-49 (+12% – 389,000 vs. 346,000) versus the comparable weeks last season.

NOTE: On Thursday (9/3/26) and Friday (9/4/26), “World News Tonight” was retitled to “WNT-ABC” and “NBC Nightly News” was retitled to “NBC Nitely News.” On Friday, “CBS Evening News” was retitled to “CBS Evening Nws.” On Wednesday (9/2/26), “NBC Nightly News” was retitled to “NBC Nitely News.” The retitled telecasts are excluded from the weekly and season averages. The weekly averages of “World News Tonight” are based on three days (Monday-Wednesday), the weekly averages for “CBS Evening News” are based on four days (Monday-Thursday) and the weekly averages for “NBC Nightly News” are based on two days (Monday-Tuesday).

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

EVENING NEWS (Week of Aug. 31, 2026)

 

	TOTAL VIEWERS	ADULTS 25-54	ADULTS 18-49
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT	8,508,000	1,102,000	833,000
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS	6,988,000	1,103,000	800,000
CBS EVENING NEWS	4,037,000	544,000	393,000

Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel, L+SD, Week of 8/31/2026. Season to date: Most Current Data Stream: 2025-2026 Season (9/22/25 – 9/6/26) and 2024-2025 Season (9/23/24 – 9/7/25). Average audience based on regularly titled telecasts only.

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