In First Year with Muir as Anchor, Sunday Edition of "World News with David Muir"  Sees Most Total Viewer Growth Compared to Competition

"World News with David Muir" Cuts Total Viewing and Demo Gaps with  "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt" by Double-Digits on Sunday  

Since debuting with David Muir as the sole anchor one-year ago, the weekend editions of "ABC World News" have grown both the overall and key demo audiences. The weekend broadcasts have cut gaps among both Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 with the weekend editions of "NBC Nightly News."  In fact, since debuting with anchor David Muir one-year ago, the Sunday edition of "ABC World News" cut the viewing gaps with "NBC Nightly News Sunday" by double-digits among both Total Viewers (-19% - 679,000 vs. 834,000) and Adults 25-54 (-11% - 281,000 vs. 314,000) compared to the previous year.

David Muir was named the sole anchor of the weekend editions of "World News" in February 2011. The weekend broadcasts were renamed "World News with David Muir" and debuted the weekend of February 19, 2011.

Muir has often anchored the weekend program from the scene of breaking news events.  Last February Muir anchored from Cairo, Egypt during the revolution in Tahrir Square.  In March Muir anchored the broadcast from Japan in the hours after the earthquake and tsunami.  In August 2011, Muir was the first American anchor and correspondent to report from Mogadishu, Somalia on the famine.  His team came under fire traveling through Mogadishu reporting on the fight to get aid to refugees in desperate need.

In addition to Muir's rise in the ratings on the weekend anchor desk, Muir has appeared on the evening newscast more often than any other network correspondent in 2011.  Muir is currently the lead correspondent covering Gov. Mitt Romney as part of ABC News' "Your Voice, Your Vote" coverage of the 2012 Presidential election.

Since debuting one-year ago, "ABC World News with David Muir" averaged 4.66 million Total Viewers and a 0.9 rating/3 share/ 1.16 million among Adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research.   

• The weekend editions of "ABC World News" are up by 5% in Total Viewers and by 3% in Adults 25-54 compared to the ABC program's weekend average performance the previous year (4.45 million and 1.13 million, respectively) . 

• On average, "World News with David Muir" narrowed its margins with "NBC Nightly News Weekend" among both Total Viewers (-14% - 890,000 vs. 1.03 million) and Adults 25-54 (-3% - 303,000 vs. 311,000) compared to the previous year. 

• "World News with David Muir" outperformed the "CBS Evening News Weekend" by 1.24 million viewers and by 276,000 Adults 25-54. "World News" built on its Total Viewers advantage over the CBS weekend average by 3% versus its year-ago advantage (1.20 million) .  

The Saturday edition of "ABC World News with David Muir" averaged 4.52 million Total Viewers and a 0.8 rating/3 share/ 1.05 million among Adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research.  The Saturday edition of "World News" grew its overall audience by +3% year-to-year.  

• On average, the Saturday edition of "ABC World News with David Muir" cut the Total Viewing gap with "NBC Nightly News Saturday" by -9% (1.14 million vs. 1.26 million) compared to the previous year. 

• The Saturday edition of "ABC World News with David Muir" outperformed the "CBS Evening News Saturday" by 1.21 million viewers and by 219,000 Adults 25-54. 

Since taking over the anchor chair on the Sunday edition of "ABC World News" in February 2011, the Sunday edition of "World News with David Muir" averaged 4.78 million Total Viewers and a 1.0 rating/3 share/ 1.26 million among Adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research.

• On average, the Sunday edition of "World News with David Muir" saw increases compared to its year-ago performance among both Total Viewers (+6%) and Adults 25-54 (+5%), growing its Total Viewing audience the most among the Sunday evening network newscasts (NBC and CBS were both up by +2%).

• Since debuting with anchor David Muir one-year ago, the Sunday edition of "ABC World News" cut the viewing gaps with "NBC Nightly News Sunday" by double-digits among both Total Viewers (-19% - 679,000 vs. 834,000) and Adults 25-54 (-11% - 281,000 vs. 314,000) compared to the same period during the previous year.

• The Sunday edition of "ABC World News with David Muir" outperformed the "CBS Evening News Sunday" by 1.18 million viewers and by 281,000 Adults 25-54.  "World News'" increased its Total Viewer lead over the CBS program by 19% compared to its year-ago margin (991,000) .    

EVENING NEWS SATURDAY/SUNDAY (2/19/11 - 2/12/12)

EVENING NEWS SATURDAY (2/19/11 - 2/12/12)

EVENING NEWS SUNDAY (2/19/11 - 2/12/12)

Source: The Nielsen Company (National, Most Current Program Ratings), 2/19/11 - 2/12/12 vs. 2/20/10 - 2/13/11.