WITH 9.2 MILLION VIEWERS, ‘ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR’ BEATS NBC BY 2.1 MILLION AND CBS BY 4.7 MILLION AND IS #1 IN TOTAL VIEWERS, ADULTS 25-54 AND ADULTS 18-49 — ABC SCORES HIGHEST WEEK IN 3 YEARS

“World News Tonight with David Muir” ranked as the No. 1 newscast in all of broadcast and cable in Total Viewers (9.244 million), Adults 25-54 (1.182 million) and Adults 18-49 (877,000) during the week of Jan. 26, 2026, based on Live+Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings from Nielsen Media Research.

• “World News Tonight” scored its most-watched week in over 3 years and delivered its strongest key Adult performances in over 1 year — since weeks of 1/2/23, 1/13/25 and 1/6/25, respectively. “World News Tonight” posted week-to-week gains in Total Viewers (+3%/+244,000 – 9.244 million vs. 9.000 million), Adults 25-54 (+9%/+93,000 – 1.182 million vs. 1.089 million) and Adults 18-49 (+16%/+122,000 – 877,000 vs. 755,000).

 

• “World News Tonight” improved on the same week last year in Total Viewers (+8%/+709,000 – 9.244 million vs. 8.535 million), Adults 25-54 (+6%/+66,000 – 1.182 million vs. 1.116 million) and Adults 18-49 (+15%/+113,000 – 877,000 vs. 764,000), standing as the only evening newscast to grow year to year and week to week in all key target demos.
• On Monday (1/26/26), “World News Tonight” scored the most-watched network news telecast (9.804 million) in over 3 years — since 1/3/23, when all three showed aired.
• On Tuesday (1/27/26), “World News Tonight” posted its largest single-day Total Viewer lead over “NBC Nightly News” (+2.440 million – 9.592 million vs. 7.152 million) in over 1 year — since 1/9/25, based on regular telecasts. In addition, it was “World News Tonight”’s most-watched Tuesday telecast (9.592 million) in over 2 years — since 1/16/24.
• On Wednesday (1/26/26), “World News Tonight” delivered its largest single-day Total Viewer advantage over “CBS Evening News” (+4.935 million – 9.237 million vs. 4.302 million) in nearly 6 years — since 1 4/16/20, based on regular telecasts. 
• “World News Tonight” outperformed “NBC Nightly News” (7.150 million, 1.040 million and 702,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+29%/+2.094 million), Adults 25-54 (+14%/+142,000) and Adults 18-49 (+25%/+174,000).
• “World News Tonight” increased its advantage over “NBC Nightly News” compared to the previous week in Adults 25-54 (+56% – 142,000 vs. 91,000) and Adults 18-49 (+112% – 174,000 vs. 82,000). “World News Tonight” posted its largest lead in Adults 25-54 in 6 weeks and its biggest in Adults 18-49 in 8 weeks — since weeks of 12/15/25 and 12/1/25, respectively.
• “World News Tonight” widened its margins over “NBC Nightly News” versus the same week last year in Total Viewers (+59% – 2.094 million vs. 1.315 million) and Adults 25-54 (+407% – 142,000 vs. 28,000). 
• “World News Tonight” (9.244 million, 1.182 million and 877,000, respectively) beat “CBS Evening News” (4.538 million, 623,000 and 479,000, respectively) in Total Viewers (+104%/+4.706 million), Adults 25-54 (+90%/+559,000) and Adults 18-49 (+83%/+398,000).
• “World News Tonight” increased its Total Viewer lead over “CBS Evening News” both week to week (+14% – 4.706 million vs. 4.135 million) and year to year (+30% – 4.706 million vs. 3.626 million), posting its largest margin over the CBS program in nearly 6 years — since w/o 4/13/20.
• Season to date, “World News Tonight” (8.133 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” (6.381 million) by 1.752 million and “CBS Evening News” (4.135 million) by 3.998 million. In fact, “World News Tonight” is growing its Total Viewer lead over NBC compared to the same point last season (+3% – 1.752 million vs. 1.704 million) to its largest in 31 years — since the 1994-1995 season. In addition, “World News Tonight” is 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” (1.009 million and 725,000, respectively) is leading NBC (885,000 and 606,000, respectively) by 124,000 Adults 25-54 and by 119,000 Adults 18-49. Additionally, “World News Tonight” is widening margins with “CBS Evening News” (527,000 and 395,000, respectively) by double-digits in Adults 25-54 (+13% – 482,000 vs. 428,000) and Adults 18-49 (+11% – 330,000 vs. 296,000) 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 Jan. 26, 2026)

	TOTAL VIEWERS	ADULTS 25-54	ADULTS 18-49
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT	9,244,000	1,182,000	877,000
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS	7,150,000	1,040,000	703,000
CBS EVENING NEWS	4,538,000	623,000	479,000

Source: Nielsen, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 National Live + Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings. Current Week (w/o 1/26/26), Previous Week (w/o 1/19/26) and Year-Ago Week (w/o 1/27/25). Season to date: Most Current Data Stream: 2025-2026 Season (9/22/25 – 2/1/26) and 2024-2025 Season (9/23/24 – 2/2/25). Beginning 12/26/22, averages are based on Big Data Plus Panel ratings.  Season averages based on Big Data Plus Panel ratings start with the 2023-2024 season.  Beginning 9/29/25, “World News Tonight” averages include airings on ABCNL. 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.

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