“This Week” is #2 Among Total Viewers

“This Week” Closes Total Viewing Gap with “Meet The Press” by 1 Million Total Viewers vs. Last Year and for the 37th Time This Year

“This Week” Experiences the Most Total Viewer Growth Week to Week

According to Nielsen Media Research, ABC News “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” was #2 among total viewers last Sunday, November 15, 2009.  Reporting 2.82 million total viewers, “This Week” narrowed the year-to-year total viewing gap with NBC’s “Meet the Press” for the 37th time this year. Versus the same week last year “This Week” cut into “Meet’s” total viewing lead by 1 million viewers or78% (290,000 in 2009 vs. 1,290,000 in 2008).  Among the key Adults 25-54 demographic, ABC also closed the gap with NBC by 51% (220,000 in 2009 vs. 450,000 in 2008). 

Week to week, “This Week” experienced the largest growth among total viewers (+170,000/+6a%) compared to the other Sunday Discussion programs, while also cutting into “Meet’s” total viewing lead by 19% (290,000 on 11/15 vs. 360,000 on 11/8). 

Year-to-date versus the same period in 2008, “This Week” has cut into “Meet’s” total viewing lead by 60% (520,000 in 2009 vs. 1,300,000 in 2008).  Among Adults 25-54, the gap has narrowed by 53% (210,000 in 2009 vs. 450,000 in 2008). For the season and Fourth Quarter thus far, “This Week” continues to rank second in total viewers and has narrowed the total viewing gap with “Meet” by 68% (360,000 in 2009 vs. 1,120,000 in 2008) versus the same time last year. In the demo, “This Week” has closed the gap with “Meet” by 69% (130,000 in 2009 vs. 420,000 in 2008). 

George Stephanopoulos’ guests last Sunday were Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The roundtable featured David Brooks, David Corn, Gwen Ifill, Bob Woodward, and ABC News’ George Will. The program was rescheduled in two markets last week due to NASCAR programming. 

George Stephanopoulos is the anchor of “This Week” and Ian Cameron is the executive producer. The program airs Sundays on the ABC Television Network.

(Sunday, November 15, 2009)

    TOTAL VIEWERS    A25-54 MM/Rtg

ABC “THIS WEEK”   2,820,000   780,000/.6

NBC “MEET THE PRESS” 3,110,000   1,000,000/.8

CBS “FACE THE NATION”     2,610,000   920,000/.7

FOX “FOX NEWS SUNDAY”     1,100,000   420,000/.3 

Source: Nielsen Media Research NTI A25-54 & Total Viewers Wks. of 11/9/09, 11/2/09 & 11/10/08 Live +SD.  Live+7 (where available) & Live +SD for STD &4QTD: 9/21/09-11/15/09 & 9/22/08-11/16/08 &  YTD: 1/1/09-11/15/09 & 1/1/08-11/16/08