WITH 8.4 MILLION VIEWERS, THE #1 PROGRAM ON ALL OF TV FOR 18 WEEKS STRAIGHT IS ‘ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR’ — LEADING NBC BY 1.8 MILLION VIEWERS AND LARGEST DEMO LEAD IN 4 MONTHS AND LEADING CBS BY 4.7 MILLION

 

For the 18th straight week, “World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 program in Total Viewers (8.436 million) on all of broadcast and cable (excluding sports) during the week of Aug 10, 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 (8.436 million), Adults 25-54 (1.162 million) and Adults 18-49 (829,000).
• “World News Tonight” outdelivered “NBC Nightly News” by double digits (6.611 million, 999,000 and 703,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+28%/+1.825 million), Adults 25-54 (+16%/+163,000) and Adults 18-49 (+18%/+126,000), turning in its largest Adults 25-54 lead in nearly 4 months — since w/o 4/20/26.
• “World News Tonight” widened its margins over “NBC Nightly News” year to year in Total Viewers (+17% – 1.825 million vs. 1.560 million), Adults 25-54 (+3% – 163,000 vs. 159,000) and Adults 18-49 (+27% – 126,000 vs. 99,000).
• “World News Tonight” built on the previous week in Total Viewers (+1%/+95,000 – 8.436 million vs. 8.341 million), Adults 25-54 (+12%/+123,000 –1.162 million vs. 1.039 million) and Adults 18-49 (+1%/+10,000 – 829,000 vs. 819,000), standing as the only evening newscast to grow week to week across the board. In addition, “World News Tonight” scored its strongest news demo performance in over 6 months — since w/o 1/26/26.
• For the sixth consecutive week, “World News Tonight” posted increases on the same week last year across-the-board: Total Viewers (+14%/+1.045 million – 8.436 million vs. 7.391 million), Adults 25-54 (+30%/+267,000 –1.162 million vs. 895,000) and Adults 18-49 (+33%/+206,000 –829,000 vs. 623,000).
• “World News Tonight” delivered its most-watched telecast on Monday (8.883 million on 8/10/26) and top Adults 25-54 airing on Tuesday (1.210 million on 8/11/26) in 5 months — since 3/18/26 and 3/16/26, respectively.
• “World News Tonight” (8.436 million, 1.162 million and 829,000, respectively) outdelivered “CBS Evening News” (3.785 million, 521,000 and 392,000, respectively) by triple digits in Total Viewers (+123%/+4.651 million), Adults 25-54(+123%/+641,000) and Adults 18-49 (+111%/+437,000).
• Season to date, “World News Tonight” (8.332 million) is ranking No. 1 in Total Viewers for the 10th straight year, based on Most Current Big Data+Panel Ratings. “World News Tonight” is leading “NBC Nightly News” (6.524 million) by 1.808 million and “CBS Evening News” (4.046 million) by 4.286 million. In fact, “World News Tonight” is growing its Total Viewer lead over NBC compared to the same point last season (+8% — 1.808 million vs. 1.680 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. In addition, “World News Tonight” is delivering its largest season viewership in 5 years, growing in Total Viewers compared to the same point last season (+5%/+406,000 – 8.332 million vs. 7.926 million) — since the 2020-2021 season.
• “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” (1.041 million and 765,000, respectively) is leading NBC (941,000 and 661,000, respectively) by 100,000 Adults 25-54 and by 104,000 Adults 18-49. Additionally, “World News Tonight” is widening margins with “CBS Evening News” (524,000 and 382,000, respectively) in Adults 25-54 (+7% – 517,000 vs. 484,000) and Adults 18-49 (+9% – 383,000 vs. 352,000) versus the comparable weeks 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 Aug. 10, 2026)

	TOTAL VIEWERS	ADULTS 25-54	ADULTS 18-49
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT	8,436,000	1,162,000	829,000
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS	6,611,000	999,000	703,000
CBS EVENING NEWS	3,785,000	521,000	392,000

Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel, L+SD, Week of 8/10/2026. Season to date: Most Current Data Stream: 2025-2026 Season (9/22/25 – 8/16/26) and 2024-2025 Season (9/23/24 – 8/17/25). Average audience based on regularly titled telecasts only.

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