THE #1 PROGRAM ON ALL OF TELEVISION IS ‘ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR’ — THE #1 NEWSCAST ACROSS TOTAL VIEWERS, ADULTS 25-54 AND ADULTS 18-49, LEADING NBC BY 1.7 MILLION AND CBS BY 4.0 MILLION

 

“World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 program in Total Viewers (8.219 million) on all of broadcast and cable (excluding sports) during the week of Oct. 5, 2026, based on Live+Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings from Nielsen Media Research.

• “World News Tonight with David Muir” ranked as the No. 1 newscast in all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (8.219 million), Adults 25-54 (1.139 million) and Adults 18-49 (836,000).
• “World News Tonight” defeated “NBC Nightly News” (6.482 million, 1.008 million and 705,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+27%/+1.737 million), Adults 25-54 (+13%/+131,000) and Adults 18-49 (+19%/+131,000).
• “World News Tonight” widened its advantage over “NBC Nightly News” compared to the previous week in Total Viewers (+20% – 1.737 million vs. 1.452 million) and Adults 25-54 (+1% – 131,000 vs. 130,000).
• “World News Tonight” increased its lead over “NBC Nightly News” year to year in Total Viewers (+11% – 1.737 million vs. 1.562 million), Adults 25-54 (+836% – 131,000 vs. 14,000) and Adults 18-49 (+167% – 131,000 vs. 49,000).
• For the third time in the three weeks of the new season, “World News Tonight” posted double-digit gains year to year in all key target demos: Total Viewers (+14%/+1.027 million – 8.219 million vs. 7.192 million), Adults 25-54 (+42%/+338,000 – 1.139 million vs. 801,000) and Adults 18-49 (+43%/+252,000 – 836,000 vs. 584,000).
• “World News Tonight” (8.219 million, 1.139 million and 836,000, respectively) defeated “CBS Evening News” (4.219 million, 613,000 and 466,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+95%/+4.000 million), Adults 25-54 (+86%/+526,000) and Adults 18-49 (+79%/+370,000).
• Season to date, “World News Tonight” is delivering across the board by double-digit increases compared to the same point last season: Total Viewers (+16%/+1.172 million – 8.428 million vs. 7.256 million), Adults 25-54 (+39%/+328,000 – 1.172 million vs. 844,000) and Adults 18-49 (+46%/+272,000 – 859,000 vs. 587,000), based on Most Current Big Data+Panel Ratings. In fact, “World News Tonight” is drawing its largest season viewership in 6 years — since the 2020-2021 season.
• “World News Tonight” (8.428 million) is ranking No. 1 in Total Viewers for the 11th consecutive year, leading “NBC Nightly News” (6.580 million) by 1.848 million and “CBS Evening News” (4.164 million) by 4.264 million. In fact, “World News Tonight” is growing its Total Viewer lead over NBC compared to the same point last season (+22% — 1.848 million vs. 1.520 million) to its largest in 32 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 35 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 8th season in a row. In fact, “World News Tonight” (1.172 million and 859,000, respectively) is increasing its season leads over “NBC Nightly News” (999,000 and 719,000, respectively) compared to the same point last season by triple digits in both Adults 25-54 (+239% – 173,000 vs. 51,000) and Adults 18-49 (+198% – 140,000 vs. 47,000).
• Additionally, “World News Tonight” is widening its margins by double digits with “CBS Evening News” (569,000 and 431,000, respectively) in Adults 25-54 (+42% – 603,000 vs. 424,000) and Adults 18-49 (+52% – 428,000 vs. 282,000) versus last season.

NOTE: On Friday (10/9/26), “World News Tonight” was retitled to “WNT-ABC,” “CBS Evening News” was retitled to “CBS Evening Nws,” and “NBC Nightly News” was retitled to “NBC Nitely News.” The retitled telecasts are excluded from the weekly and season averages.  The weekly averages for all three programs are based on four days (Monday-Thursday).

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 Oct. 5, 2026)

	TOTAL VIEWERS	ADULTS 25-54	ADULTS 18-49
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT	8,219,000	1,139,000	836,000
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS	6,482,000	1,008,000	705,000
CBS EVENING NEWS	4,219,000	613,000	466,000

Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel, L+SD, Week of 10/5/2026. Season to date: Most Current Data Stream: 2026-2027 Season (9/21 – 10/11/26) and 2025-2026 Season (9/22 – 10/12/26). Average audience based on regularly titled telecasts only.

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