WITH 8.3 MILLION VIEWERS, ‘ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR’ IS THE #1 NEWSCAST IN TOTAL VIEWERS, ADULTS 25-54 AND ADULTS 18-49, LEADING NBC BY 1.5 MILLION AND CBS BY 4.1 MILLION VIEWERS

“World News Tonight with David Muir” ranked as the No. 1 newscast in all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (8.346 million), Adults 25-54 (1.136 million) and Adults 18-49 (836,000) during the week of Sept. 28, 2026, based on Live+Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings from Nielsen Media Research.

• “World News Tonight” outperformed “NBC Nightly News” (6.894 million, 1.006 million and 689,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+21%/+1.452 million), Adults 25-54 (+13%/+130,000) and Adults 18-49 (+21%/+147,000).

• “World News Tonight” widened its margins over “NBC Nightly News” year to year in Adults 25-54 (+88% – 130,000 vs. 69,000) and Adults 18-49 (+465% – 147,000 vs. 26,000).
• “World News Tonight” improved on the same week last year by double digits across the board: Total Viewers (+14%/+1.012 million – 8.346 million vs. 7.337 million), Adults 25-54 (+35%/+292,000 – 1.136 million vs. 844,000) and Adults 18-49 (+51%/+284,000 – 836,000 vs. 552,000).
• “World News Tonight” (8.346 million, 1.136 million and 836,000, respectively) defeated “CBS Evening News” (4.240 million, 585,000 and 428,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+97%/+4.106 million), Adults 25-54 (+94%/+551,000) and Adults 18-49 (+96%/+408,000).
• Two weeks into the new season, “World News Tonight” is delivering across the board by double-digit increases compared to the same point last season: Total Viewers (+16%/+1.185 million – 8.452 million vs. 7.267 million), Adults 25-54 (+35%/+304,000 – 1.169 million vs. 855,000) and Adults 18-49 (+47%/+275,000 – 800,000 vs. 585,000), 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” (8.452 million) is ranking No. 1 in Total Viewers for the 11th consecutive year, leading “NBC Nightly News” (6.626 million) by 1.826 million and “CBS Evening News” (4.124 million) by 4.328 million. In fact, “World News Tonight” is growing its Total Viewer lead over NBC compared to the same point last season (+22% — 1.826 million vs. 1.496 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” (1.169 million and 860,000, respectively) is increasing its season’s lead over “NBC Nightly News” (990,000 and 725,000, respectively) compared to the same point last season by triple digits in both Adults 25-54 (+152% – 179,000 vs. 71,000) and Adults 18-49 (+207% – 135,000 vs. 44,000).
• Additionally, “World News Tonight” is widening its margins by double digits with “CBS Evening News” (544,000 and 411,000, respectively) in Adults 25-54 (+40% – 625,000 vs. 447,000) and Adults 18-49 (+57% – 449,000 vs. 286,000) versus last season.

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 Sept. 28, 2026)

	TOTAL VIEWERS	ADULTS 25-54	ADULTS 18-49
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT	8,346,000	1,136,000	836,000
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS	6,894,000	1,006,000	689,000
CBS EVENING NEWS	4,240,000	585,000	428,000

Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel, L+SD, Week of 9/28/2026. Season to date: Most Current Data Stream: 2026-2027 Season (9/21 – 10/04/26) and 2025-2026 Season (9/22 – 10/5/26). Average audience based on regularly titled telecasts only.

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