Sunday Edition of "World News" Delivers Largest Audience for a Quarter Nearly a Decade

On Sunday, "World News" Slashes the Gap with NBC by 67% in Total Viewers and 54% in Key News Demo

Saturday Edition of "World News" Cuts Total Viewing Gap with NBC by 15% and Demo Gap by 15%

The weekend editions of ABC's flagship evening newscast, "World News with David Muir," continue to close the gaps with "NBC Nightly News" on the weekends among both Total Viewers and the key Adults 25-54 demo. 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.

The Sunday edition of "ABC World News with David Muir" averaged 4.698 million Total Viewers and a 1.1 rating/ 4 share/ 1.272 million Adults 25-54 during the 2nd Quarter 2012, according to Nielsen Media Research. The Sunday newscast showed growth over the year-ago quarter for the 2nd straight year among Total Viewers (+4%) - delivering its largest overall 2nd quarter audience in 9 years - since 2Q03.

On Sunday evenings, "World News" narrowed more than half of its year-ago quarter gaps (2Q11) with "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt" among both Total Viewers (-67% - 365,000 vs. 1.103 million) and Adults 25-54 (-54% - 122,000 vs. 263,000). In fact, on Sunday's "World News" posted its smallest 2nd quarter margin in Total Viewers with the NBC newscast in 10 years - since 2Q02.

The Sunday edition of "World News" slashed more than three-quarters its previous quarter's margins (1Q12) with "NBC Nightly News" in both Total Viewer (-79% - 365,000 vs. 1.754 million) and Adults 25-54 (-78% - 122,000 vs. 544,000).

"World News" Sunday newscast outperformed "CBS Evening News" by 557,000 Total Viewers (4.698 million vs. 4.141 million) and by 233,000 Adults 25-54 viewers (1.272 million vs. 1.039 million) during the quarter.

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The Saturday edition of "ABC World News with David Muir" averaged 3.854 million Total Viewers and a 0.7 rating/3 share /865,000 Adults 25-54 during the 2nd Quarter 2012, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Versus the year-ago quarter (2Q11), the Saturday edition of "World News with David Muir" narrowed its gaps with "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt" by -15% among Total Viewers (543,000 vs. 638,000) and by -15% in the key Adults 25-54 demo (155,000 vs. 182,000).

Compared to the previous quarter (1Q12), the "World News" Saturday newscast cut its margins with "NBC Nightly News" by -48% in Total Viewer (543,000 vs. 1.04 million) and by -63% in Adults 25-54 (155,000 vs. 415,000). "World News Sat" delivered its smallest quarter margins with the NBC program in 8 quarters in Total Viewers and in 7 quarters in Adults 25-54 - since 2Q10 and 3Q10, respectively .

"World News" Saturday newscast led "CBS Saturday News" by 712,000 Total Viewers (3.854 million vs. 3.142 million) and by 109,000 Adults 25-54 viewers (865,000 vs. 756,000).

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.

"ABC World News with David Muir" on the ABC Television Network, check your local listings. Michael Corn is the executive producer of the broadcast. Follow David Muir and the "World News" team online: @DavidMuir; @ABCWorldNews; facebook.com/WorldNews.

Sunday Evening News (2nd Quarter 2012)

TOTAL VIEWERS ADULTS 25-54 HOUSEHOLDS

ABC 4,698,000 1.1/4; 1,272,000 3.1/6

NBC 5,063,000 1.2/4; 1,394,000 3.3/7

CBS 4,141,000 0.9/3; 1,039,000 2.8/6

Saturday Evening News (2nd Quarter 2012)

TOTAL VIEWERS ADULTS 25-54 HOUSEHOLDS

ABC 3,854,000 0.7/3; 865,000 2.6/6

NBC 4,397,000 0.8/3; 1,020,000 2.9/7

CBS 3,142,000 0.6/3; 756,000 2.2/5

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 - Most Current: 2Q12: 3/26/12- 6/24/12, 1Q12: 12/26/11- 3/25/12 and 2Q11: 3/28/11 - 6/26/11.